TUCSON, Ariz.—On Friday July 24, 2026, after less than 24 hours of deliberations, a Pima County jury found a 42-year-old man guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 53-year-old Paul Clifford.
The defendant was also found guilty of armed robbery, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, theft of means of transportation, third-degree burglary, arson of an occupied structure, and tampering with physical evidence.
Clifford’s body was found near a burning truck on a remote Pima County road on Christmas Eve 2024 after he agreed to help the defendant who came knocking on his door, claiming his truck had broken down. That truck had also been reported stolen.
We want to thank our extraordinary team of experienced prosecutors John Strader and Brad Terrace; paralegal Megan Gallagher; secretary Brenda Ramos; our Trial Services team of Pete Gonzales and Andrew Glaser; and law clerk Audrey Conant. They spent countless hours working on this high-profile and highly sensitive case, which has had a lasting impact on our community.
Our Victim Services Advocates also remained in constant contact with Paul Clifford’s family throughout the difficult process of this complex case.
We also want to thank the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and our local law enforcement partners for their hard work and support in helping secure this conviction.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 28 at 11:00 a.m.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office is committed to restorative justice, transparency, and accountability as the focus of a mission that also seeks alternatives to incarceration when appropriate, provides support for victims, and strives to be inclusive and equitable to all segments of the communities we serve in the pursuit of public safety and well-being.
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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
