Sacaton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Accessory to Murder
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 22, 2011 |
PHOENIX—Louis Clare Burnette, 45, of Sacaton, Ariz., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Neil V. Wake. Burnette pleaded guilty on March 18, 2011 to accessory after the fact.
On July 19, 2010, Burnette’s co-defendant shot the victim in the back of the head with a single-shot shotgun. After the shooting, Burnette drove away in the victim’s vehicle, leaving the victim’s body in the mountains of the Gila River Indian Community. He abandoned the vehicle and disposed of other possible evidence in the case in order to cover up the murder and avoid law enforcement detection.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Dimitra H. Sampson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-10-01362-PHX-NVW
RELEASE NUMBER: 2011-183(Burnette)