‘A punch to the gut’: Widow of Tucson murder victim reacts to plea deals

TUCSON, Ariz. – A grieving widow says she feels betrayed by the justice system after learning two of the people accused of killing her husband have been offered plea deals.

The backstory:

On Christmas Eve, 53-year-old Paul Clifford’s body was found next to a smoldering car in a rural area near Redington Pass and San Pedro River Roads. Authorities say Clifford was helping some people who were having car trouble, but he never returned home.

A week later, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said three suspects had been arrested.

What they’re saying:

Christina Clifford, Paul’s widow, told KOLD-TV that a plea deal was offered to two of the suspects accused of killing her husband – 19-year-old Elmer Smith and 16-year-old Wendy Scott.

“It was a punch in the gut, I felt sick to my stomach, and I literally couldn’t catch my breath,” she said. “They burned his body. They left his body and burned it to try to cover it up. These are not the actions of one person. This is the actions of three.”

What’s next:

The Pima County Attorney’s Office says the third suspect, 40-year-old Jack Upchurch, was the shooter and will be tried for first-degree murder.