On June 30, 2025, numerous victims were held at gunpoint in the midtown area of Tucson. As the crimes escalated, the suspect (Julio Aguirre) then allegedly attempted to steal a car, and as a result, 69-year-old Ricky E. Miller Sr. was shot and died from his injuries.
Aguirre was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained during the neighborhood search, including a dog bite from a police dog. While Aguirre was in the hospital, Pima County Attorney’s Office prosecutors (PCAO) were reviewing the case and taking necessary prosecutorial action, as is standard practice. The facts referenced above have been reported in recent media reports. These facts have recently been reported by the media.
Also in recent news, the federal government stated that Aguirre appeared to be in the country without documentation, was arrested more than 10 times from 2007 to 2013 for immigration related crimes and was removed from the country in 2013.
Timeline of Events:
- 7/2/25, (morning): PCAO met with the Tucson Police Department (TPD) to discuss the case. Federal prosecutors from the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) were present. PCAO made clear to everyone its intention to proceed with first-degree murder charges, to have the suspect in county custody, as is always the normal course in such a situation, and to provide the USAO access to the suspect for any federal charges. USAO did not express an objection to this plan.
- 7/2/25, 12:06 pm: PCAO sent out a press release announcing its intention to respond in the normal course by pursuing charges on behalf of the homicide and aggravated assault victims.
- 7/2/25, 12:44 pm: TPD announced publicly in a press release that they were responding in the normal course and would book the suspect into the Pima County Jail as soon as he was medically released.
- 7/2/25, (afternoon): Both PCAO and USAO obtained arrest warrants and filed complaints charging Aguirre with different offenses.
PCAO obtained a criminal complaint against the suspect for first-degree murder, six counts of aggravated assault, and other charges related to the car and the use of the firearm. The contemporaneous complaint filed by the USAO in federal court charged Aguirre with the carjacking attempt and the firearm under federal law. The State and Federal Complaints are attached for comparison.
Soon after, USAO contacted PCAO to inform us that TPD Command had agreed to allow USAO to take custody of the suspect upon his release from the hospital, despite that TPD had publicly announced it would book the suspect into the Pima County Jail once medically released. PCAO prosecutors asked USAO to cooperate in the suspect’s transport to county custody as needed for PCAO prosecution, and the USAO agreed.
- 7/3/25, Then, despite public statements and in an unusual departure from the normal course of action, it was discovered that overnight on 7/2/25, federal agents took the suspect from the hospital, not to the Pima County Jail as announced, but to a federal detention center in another Arizona county.
- 7/7/25, PCAO asked USAO for specific dates to transport the suspect for the County prosecution of the murder and aggravated assault of six other victims. The USAO told PCAO they would review our “request” (the term “request” is misleading as the USAO had already agreed to transport the suspect to county custody)
- 7/8/25, The USAO informed PCAO it had met with USAO Tucson upper management but also needed to meet with USAO Phoenix upper management on 7/9/25 before they could agree to cooperate in the transport of the suspect.
- 7/9/25, PCAO explained to USAO that three elderly victims (78, 76, and 70) need to proceed to a preliminary hearing to preserve their testimony.
- 7/10/25, USAO responded and denied the “request” to allow PCAO to preserve the testimony of the victims, some of whom are elderly, of a traumatic gun-pointing/aggravated assault. Such a move delays, or perhaps even denies, these victims an opportunity for justice.
Local Community Justice:
PCAO prosecutors and County Attorney Conover herself made it clear in meetings with, and in writing to, federal officials that the serious murder, assault, and firearm charges will be prosecuted in State court, as is the normal practice. By depriving PCAO of meaningful access to Aguirre, PCAO’s ability to prosecute him is gutted.
During Conover’s meeting with the deceased’s son on Thursday, July 3, 2025, Ricky Eugene Miller Jr., who is an army veteran and federal contractor himself, explained, “I said to the Detective more than once, ‘don’t you let him go to the feds. We might not see him again. He could just get deported. My Dad deserves justice first.”
Not only does this unprecedented move affect Miller’s case, but it also has an impact on how PCAO prosecutors can move forward in finding justice for all of the other victims in the case as well. Those victims include six other individuals who are not part of the federal case. Three of the surviving victims are in their 70s, making early preservation of their testimony especially important.
County Attorney Conover went on to say, “Our case has seven local victims, several more traumatized witnesses, and those who rendered aid. The safety of our community is of the utmost importance to me, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure our citizens feel safe. Arizonans have very strong victims’ rights, guaranteeing them prompt resolution. To take this suspect away, to score political points about undocumented immigrants with criminal records, and to make our victims wait for years, if ever, to have their day in court, is truly shocking. It’s an interference with state’s rights and victim’s rights, such as no one locally can remember.”
“This is un-American. Dad and his neighbors deserve so much better than this. Those neighbors who risked their lives to try to save him they need their day in court.” Miller said.
PCAO intends to prosecute this homicide and six counts of aggravated assault despite the jurisdiction/custody challenge and accordingly is not commenting about the day in question but rather about the developments of the case thereafter. This will remain an open case at PCAO, despite obstacles arising from federal interference. We will continue to apprise the public of any new developments as they become available.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has also reaffirmed that the suspect was never booked at the Pima County Jail and was never in his Department’s custody. County Attorney Conover has met with the victims and witnesses in person and avowed that PCAO will move forward.
“Exploiting grief and loss like this for political gain is appalling. It always fuels me to keep fighting,” Conover said.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office is committed to delivering justice through both traditional prosecution and restorative justice practices when harm occurs. We seek alternatives to incarceration when appropriate while providing support for victims and transparency, diversity, equity, and inclusion for the community we serve. We work to improve public safety and quality of life in Pima County through the coordinated efforts of our Criminal, Civil, and Victim Services Divisions.
Media Contact: Shawndrea Thomas
Director of Communications
Pima County Attorney’s Office
(520) 724-5738 (Office)
(520) 310-4720 (Mobile)
Shawndrea.Thomas@pcao.pima.gov
