A Phoenix grandfather was arrested Wednesday after attacking the man convicted of murdering his son-in-law, an Army veteran, during a sentencing hearing at Maricopa County Court.
Alberto Ontiveros Sanchez, 55, rushed at Abel Uribe around 10:30 a.m. and struck him with at least four punches to the back of the head while Uribe sat waiting to learn his fate for the 2022 murder of David Navidad-Parra, 27.
Sanchez’s attorney, Christian Leuders, told the court his client was overcome by grief and anger after seeing Uribe “laughing and snickering” in the courtroom.
“He’s been a model citizen for his entire life,” Leuders said, noting Sanchez has no prior criminal record and works full-time to support his children and grandchildren.
Judge Kristin Culbertson acknowledged the family’s pain but declined to excuse the outburst.
“You attacked somebody in a courtroom, and now you’re asking the court to be lenient on you?” Culbertson said. “I personally can’t imagine the emotions that you must have been feeling today, but we cannot tolerate that kind of conduct in court.”
Uribe had appeared in court to be sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in Navidad-Parra’s death. Navidad-Parra disappeared in 2022 after taking a car out for a test drive. He was later found dead, and the vehicle was discovered burned at a separate location. Investigators arrested Uribe after he was caught using Navidad-Parra’s credit card.
Sanchez now faces charges of aggravated assault on a bound or restrained victim, fighting, and interfering with a judicial proceeding. He was released on his own recognizance.
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