Richard Djerf, an Arizona prisoner convicted of a quadruple murder more than three decades ago, has issued a handwritten apology as his execution date approaches.
According to the New York Post, set to be executed on Oct. 17, Richard Djerf has declined to pursue clemency and expressed regret for the 1993 murders of four members of the Luna family in Phoenix.
Djerf, 55, is scheduled for execution by lethal injection, making him the second person to be executed by Arizona this year. He was convicted in the 1993 murders of Albert Luna Sr., his wife Patricia Luna, their teenage daughter Rochelle Luna, and their 5-year-old son Damien Luna. The killings took place inside the family’s Phoenix home on Sept. 14, 1993.
According to prosecutors, the motive stemmed from a personal grievance. Djerf allegedly accused Albert Luna Jr., the adult son of the victims, of stealing electronics from his apartment. Seeking revenge, Djerf devised a plan to confront the Luna family under pretenses.
Djerf Entered Home Pretending to Deliver Flowers
Investigators determined that Djerf gained access to the Luna residence by pretending to deliver flowers. Once inside, he embarked on a violent attack that left all four family members dead. Rochelle Luna, age 18, was sexually assaulted before being fatally wounded, authorities said.
Albert Luna Sr. endured a brutal assault that involved being bludgeoned with a metal baseball bat, stabbed with a knife, and shot. Patricia Luna and her young son Damien were reportedly bound to kitchen chairs and then shot to death. Djerf later pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and was sentenced to death by a judge. His time on death row has spanned more than 30 years, during which Arizona’s death penalty protocols underwent significant scrutiny.
Execution Set Amid Recent Resurgence of Death Penalty Use
Arizona resumed executions in 2022 following an eight-year pause. The hiatus was prompted by widespread criticism of a 2014 execution during which inmate Joseph Wood died slowly after receiving multiple doses of a two-drug combination. The mishandling of that procedure raised ethical and legal concerns, making it more complicated to obtain the required drugs.
This year, the state carried out its first execution in March, putting Aaron Brian Gunches to death for the 2002 killing of Ted Price. Djerf’s upcoming execution will be Arizona’s second in 2025. Currently, 108 prisoners remain on the state’s death row. Earlier this week, a handwritten note from Djerf was made public. In the statement, he expressed sorrow for his crimes and said he would not seek clemency. The note, which included direct messages to the family he harmed, was shared ahead of his scheduled execution.
Condemned Inmate Accepts Responsibility, Declines Clemency
“If I can’t find reason to spare my life, what reason would anyone else have?” Djerf wrote. He added his hope that his death “brings some measure of peace” to the victims’ surviving family members. Addressing Albert Luna Jr., the man Djerf blamed decades ago for stealing from him, he stated, “No part of what I did to his family, or why, was ever his fault.” The comments marked the first time Djerf publicly retracted that earlier accusation.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office, which petitioned the state’s Supreme Court for Djerf’s execution warrant, declined to comment on the contents of his note. Their office has overseen multiple capital punishment cases since executions resumed in the state in 2022.
Public Response and Victims’ Kin Remain Unreachable
The Associated Press reported that efforts to reach Albert Luna Jr. for comment were unsuccessful. Searches through court records and legal representative databases returned no available contact information. Victim impact statements or public responses from the Luna family have not been released. It remains unclear how Djerf’s recent expression of remorse has been received by those personally affected by the 1993 crimes.
The upcoming execution has renewed attention on Arizona’s capital punishment system, which has faced legal challenges and legislative scrutiny in recent years. While Djerf’s case contains elements of personal revenge, other cases have stirred broader discussions on the ethics of the death penalty.
Djerf’s Actions Left Lingering Impact Decades Later
As the execution date draws near, Djerf’s message appears to acknowledge lingering effects of his actions. His crimes, committed when he was in his early 20s, resulted in the deaths of two generations of the Luna family and shook the Phoenix community in 1993.
While the case has faded from national headlines over the years, it continues to carry legal and emotional weight in Arizona’s judicial history. Djerf's expression of regret may offer some closure, but the broader impacts of the case persist. Djerf is being held at the Arizona State Prison Complex – Eyman in Florence, where executions typically occur. Barring any legal intervention, his execution is expected to proceed as scheduled on October 17.
