| Date of birth: | Sep 3, 1961 |
| Ethnicity: | MEXICAN AMERICAN |
| Hair: | Black |
| Eyes: | Brown |
| Unit: | ASPC Eyman SMU II |
| Status: | ACTIVE |
| Release type: | RET.FM.COURT |
| Most recent loc: | ASPC Eyman |
| Last movement: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Inmate number: | 137044 |
| Inmate detainee: | INMATE |
| Custody class: | 5/2 |
| Cur absconded: | N |
| Crime description: | INMATE 137044 - COTA, BENJAMIN B. Benjamin Bernal Cota was sentenced to death for the murders of Guadalupe Zavala and her husband Victor Martinez. In November of 2003, the Glendale couple hired Cota to do some repairs on their home. The couple was last seen alive on December 30, and on January 6, 2004, police found the bodies of both Martinez and Zavala wrapped in plastic hidden in the bedroom closet. The investigation proved Cota beat Martinez to death with a baseball bat or hammer. Cota then waited for Zavala to come home from work and bound her hands and feet; he struck her in the head and face repeatedly with a meat cleaver or machete. Cota stayed in the residence for the following week, forged checks from the couple's accounts, and even took title to one of their vehicles. Police arrested Cota after a high-speed pursuit during which he crashed one of the couples vehicles. PROCEEDINGS Presiding Judge: Hon. Michael D. Jones Prosecutors: Robert J. Shutts & Kirsten Valenzuela Defense Counsel: Joey N. Hamby & Pamela Nicholson Start of Trial: April 2, 2009 Verdict: July 15, 2009 Sentencing: August 14, 2009 Aggravating Circumstances Prior conviction of a serious offense Committed offense while on release from DOC Age of victim (over 70 - Martinez) PUBLISHED OPINIONS [Direct Appeal pending before the Arizona Supreme Court] |
| Community supervision parole: | N |
| Commitment status: | COMPLETE AND VERIFIED |
| Admission date: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Booking location: | Maricopa County, AZ |
| Consec concur: | Consecutive:D02 |
| Commit number: | E01 |
| Admit date: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Consec concur: | Consecutive:E01 |
| Commit number: | E03 |
| Admit date: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Consec concur: | Consecutive:E03 |
| Commit number: | E04 |
| Admit date: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Consec concur: | Consecutive:E04 |
| Commit number: | E05 |
| Admit date: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Consec concur: | Consecutive:E05 |
| Commit number: | E06 |
| Admit date: | Oct 8, 2009 |
| Commit number: | D02 |
| Admit date: | Aug 14, 2009 |
