Current:Home > MyFormer University of Arizona grad student found guilty of murder in campus shooting of professor-LoTradeCoin
Former University of Arizona grad student found guilty of murder in campus shooting of professor
View Date:2024-12-24 08:44:57
A former University of Arizona graduate student was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder for fatally shooting a hydrology professor on campus, months after he was expelled.
A Pima County Superior Court jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching a verdict against Murad Dervish, 48, in the death of Thomas Meixner, who was shot 11 times near his office in October 2022.
Dervish also was convicted of five other felony counts, including aggravated assault for a bullet that grazed a building manager. Dervish, who showed no emotion as the verdicts were read, is set to be sentenced on June 24. He could face life in prison.
Meixner, 52, headed the university's Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. Dervish was in the master's degree program in atmospheric sciences.
Authorities said Dervish was banned from the school in January 2022 and later expelled for ongoing issues with professors after he received a bad grade.
Defense attorney Leo Masursky told jurors in his closing argument Monday that Dervish was having a psychotic episode during the shooting and that the crime wasn't premeditated.
He said jurors should hold Dervish accountable but urged them to consider a lesser charge of second-degree murder that could have meant confinement in a psychiatric hospital, rather than a prison cell.
"Murad Dervish lost his mind on Oct. 5, 2022," Masursky said. "He had severe mental health issues. He did not know right from wrong."
But Pima County prosecutor Mark Hotchkiss said evidence showed Dervish planned Meixner's killing and bought — a 9 mm handgun — a month before using it in the shooting.
"He is not guilty but insane. He's just guilty," Hotchkiss said of Dervish.
According to a criminal complaint, a flyer with a photograph of Dervish was circulated to university staff in February 2022 with instructions to call 911 if Dervish ever entered the John W. Harshbarger Building, where Meixner worked.
The complaint also said Dervish was barred from school property and was the subject of several reports of harassment and threats to staff members working at Harshbarger.
Witnesses testified that Dervish was wearing a surgical mask and baseball cap as a disguise when he showed up outside Meixner's office and shot the professor.
Dervish fled the scene but was arrested three hours later after Arizona state troopers stopped his car on a highway more than 120 miles northwest of Tucson.
Authorities said a loaded handgun was found in the vehicle, and the ammunition was consistent with the shell casings found at the shooting scene.
- In:
- Arizona
- Shooting Death
- Murder
veryGood! (21193)
Related
- When do new 'Yellowstone' episodes come out? Here's the Season 5, Part 2 episode schedule
- When does 'Abbott Elementary' return? Season 4 premiere date, time, cast, where to watch and stream
- NCAA cracking down on weapon gestures toward opponents in college football
- NFL power rankings Week 6: Commanders among rising teams led by rookie quarterback
- Gossip Girl Actress Chanel Banks Reported Missing After Vanishing in California
- 'The Office' star Jenna Fischer underwent treatment for 'aggressive' breast cancer
- 49 Best Fall Beauty Deals for October Prime Day 2024: Save Big on Laneige, Tatcha & More Skincare Faves
- Troy Landry from 'Swamp People' cited following alligator hunting bust: Reports
- Eva Longoria Shares She and Her Family Have Moved Out of the United States
- In ‘Piece by Piece,’ Pharrell finds Lego fits his life story
Ranking
- After Baltimore mass shooting, neighborhood goes full year with no homicides
- If the polls just closed, how can AP already declare a winner?
- Education Pioneer Wealth: Charity First
- Tennis star Frances Tiafoe curses out umpire after Shanghai loss, later apologizes
- Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
- AIΩ QuantumLeap: Disrupting Traditional Investment Models, the Wealth Manager of the Intelligent Era
- Grazer beats the behemoth that killed her cub to win Alaska’s Fat Bear Contest
- Tennis star Frances Tiafoe curses out umpire after Shanghai loss, later apologizes
Recommendation
-
Minnesota man is free after 16 years in prison for murder that prosecutors say he didn’t commit
-
On a screen near you: Officials are livestreaming the election process for more transparency
-
Education Pioneer Wealth Society: Heartfelt Education Pioneer, Empowering with Wealth
-
Dream Builder Wealth Society: Charity First
-
Knicks Player Ogugua Anunoby Nearly Crashes Into Anne Hathaway and Her Son During NBA Game
-
Best October Prime Day 2024 Athleisure & Activewear Deals – That Are Also Super Cute & Up to 81% Off
-
Ryan Seacrest Reveals His Workouts and Diet Changes to Feel 29 Again
-
49 Best Fall Beauty Deals for October Prime Day 2024: Save Big on Laneige, Tatcha & More Skincare Faves