| Crime description: |
INMATE 096426 - GULBRANDSON, DAVID .
Gulbrandson and the
45-year-old female victim operated a photography business, and also
were involved in an intimate personal relationship. The victim
ended their personal relationship in January of 1991, and
Gulbrandson physically assaulted her on February 14, 1991. The
victim sought and obtained a protective order against Gulbrandson
as a result of this assault. On March 9, 1991, Gulbrandson
threatened to kill the victim during a telephone conversation.
Sometime late in the evening of March 10, 1991, or early in the
morning of March 11, 1991, Gulbrandson entered the victim's home,
and brutally tortured and murdered her while her two children were
sleeping. Despite the victim's intense struggle, Gulbrandson
inflicted 33 incision-type injuries all over her body, a puncture
wound to her liver, and at least ten blunt force injuries. In
addition, he cracked the victim's teeth, fractured her nose and
seven of her ribs, embedded part of a wooden salad fork in her leg,
and attempted to burn her by lighting her hair on fire. Gulbrandson
killed her by either strangling her or by inflicting a blow to her
neck which caused her to suffocate. Gulbrandson left the victim in
the master bedroom clad only in her panties, with her ankles and
one wrist bound with electrical cords, and he left three knives,
one razor knife, and one pair of scissors, all of which were
bloodstained, in the kitchen sink. Gulbrandson left the scene in
the victim's car. Gulbrandson's fingerprints were found at the
scene, and bloody clothing was found at his residence. The victim's
car was located in Montana on April 1, 1991, and Gulbrandson was
arrested there 2 days later.
PROCEEDINGS Presiding Judge: David L. Grounds
Prosecutor: Michael Morrison
Start of Trial: November 30, 1992
Verdict: December 15, 1992
Sentencing: February 19, 1993
Aggravating Circumstances Especially heinous and depraved
Mitigating Circumstances sufficiently substantial to call for leniency
PUBLISHED OPINIONS State v. Gulbrandson, 184 Ariz. 46, 906 P.2d 579
(1995). |
