The Pima County Superior Court jury that will decide if former Arivaca resident Albert Robert Gaxiola spends the rest of his life in prison or is executed by lethal injection heard from the defendant’s estranged father Friday morning.
On July 1, Gaxiola, 44, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Raul “Junior” Flores and his daughter Brisenia, as well as six other charges. Earlier this year, Jason Eugene Bush and Shawna Forde were found guilty on the same charges in separate trials. They both ended up with death sentences imposed by the juries hearing the evidence of their crimes.
Robert Gaxiola, 65, was born in Hollister, Calif., and currently lives and works in that community. He testified that he met his son’s mother, Sandra, in Fresno, Calif., in 1965 when he was 19-years-old.
Gaxiola was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967 when his son, Albert, was about a year old. He avoided service in Vietnam, but he was stationed in Germany until he was called home due to a medical emergency involving Sandra and an unborn child he discovered was not his. The story regarding his testimony, including claims of escaping twice from an army stockade can be found here: http://rickersradarscreen.blogspot.com/2011/07/gaxiolas-father-attempted-to-kidnap-him.html
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| Robert Gaxiola |
On Dec. 14, 2007, The Weekend Pinnacle Online published a story (http://www.pinnaclenews.com/news/contentview.asp?c=231661) about Gaxiola and his work at the homeless shelter in the Hollister community. In the article, Gaxiola stated that he went to Vietnam in 1967. The article also implies that the gunshot wound he received to his chin was received in Vietnam.
Gaxiola also testified that over the years, has been wounded during the troubles he has been involved in. “I was shot once and stabbed 12 times. I had my head busted I don’t know how many times,” he testified. Something he didn’t testify about is an apparent criminal record involving sex crimes. Information in that regard can be found here: http://www.homefacts.com/offender-detail/CA1869408314394/Roberto-Alberto-Gaxiola.html
