Arizona man given life sentence for murder of MCSO deputy

PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced on Feb. 21 that a man will spend the rest of his life in prison after an incident in Avondale that resulted in the death of a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Deputy.

What we know:

Per a statement, 34-year-old Clinton Hurley has been sentenced to natural life in prison for the murder of Deputy Juan “Johnny” Ruiz.

Back in December, Hurley pleaded guilty to 16 charges, including first degree murder, armed robbery, and theft in the killing of Deputy Ruiz. Officials have previously said that Hurley was released from prison in December 2023.

The backstory:

The incident happened on October 9, 2021, when Hurley was arrested on multiple felony warrants, and taken to an MCSO substation in Avondale.

“Once there, Deputy Ruiz took off Hurley’s handcuffs to put him in a cell. Body camera video shows Hurley becoming combative and attacking Deputy Ruiz,” read a portion of the statement. “During the struggle, Hurley hit Deputy Ruiz several times with the blunt end of a pair of medical shears and punched him repeatedly as the deputy was lying on the floor.”

Deputy Ruiz, according to MCAO, died at a hospital days later.

Investigators said Hurley escaped, using Deputy Ruiz’s keys and patrol car, and later stole Deputy Ruiz’s second gun from the vehicle.

“He used the gun to try to carjack a truck before ultimately stealing a car from another victim,” read a portion of the statement. “He was captured later that night in Tonopah after firing shots at a family outside a home and being shot by the homeowner.”

On May 4, 2022, MCAO announced that prosecutors filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Hurley.