GLOBE — Judge Timothy M. Wright sentenced Jess William Anaya was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and a concurrent 17-year prison term for the murder of a 22-month old boy. Anaya was found guilty by a Gila County jury after a two-week trial. The County Attorney did not make a plea offer, and the State was able to set a trial date that is within one year of the commission of the crime.

Chief Deputy County Attorney Brad Soos, who prosecuted the case, said that in the afternoon hours of Aug. 18, 2017, Anaya appeared at the bedroom door of his mother’s house, waking her from a nap, and telling her that the victim, R.C., fell off a wall and was not waking up. The child was still breathing, but his eyes were fixed and dilated.

Paramedics responded within minutes and approached Anaya, who was standing in a front yard archway smoking a cigarette, with the child under one arm. Anaya’s mother, Linda Salcido, told paramedics the child fell off a wall in the front yard, hitting his head. Assessing the child and not seeing any dirt or debris, paramedics became suspicious and contacted the Globe Police Department. R.C. was unresponsive with blood coming from his mouth.

After performing rapid trauma assessment, paramedics arranged for air transport to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and transported the child to the helicopter pad at Cobre Valley Regional Medical Center. At the helipad, Anaya was questioned by police. He stated R.C. and his children were playing outside, he went inside to go to the bathroom and get some water, and when he came out, R.C. was on the ground. He later told Salcido that he was gathering stuff in the car moments after arriving at the house, and when he turned around he saw the child on the ground.

After receiving emergency medical treatment at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, R.C. was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit with severe brain swelling. An eye exam by a pediatric ophthalmologist revealed severe retinal hemorrhaging. R.C. was declared brain dead the following day but kept alive for several days for organ donation. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy. The official cause of death was Anoxic Encephalopathy (brain dysfunction) due to multiple blunt impact injuries.

R.C. had multiple bruises and bumps to the head, a ligature mark on his neck, a cut to the inside of his lip, multiple bite marks, and various contusions and lacerations throughout his body and bleeding from the toes on both feet.

According to several medical experts the County Attorney had called to testify, the injuries were not consistent with a fall from a wall less than five feet in height. Dr. Randell Alexander, a nationally recognized expert in abusive head trauma, presented key testimony. He stated that, based on the multiple impacts, the severity of the brain injury and retinal hemorrhaging, the child was beaten and shaken.

Although the bite marks could have been caused by Anaya’s children, it was undisputed that the severe head injuries were caused while R.C. was in the defendant’s sole care and custody for several hours.

Text messages during that timeframe taken from Anaya’s phone, revealed that he and a relative were making plans to attend a marijuana “happy hour” at a local dispensary. The child’s mother and Anaya’s then-girlfriend, K.C., was at work the entire afternoon.

The defense presented expert testimony from former Maricopa County Medical Examiner Phillip Keen. His initial opinion was that the child could have fallen from a wall. However, when confronted on cross examination with evidence and statements he had not reviewed, he wavered from his opinions and conceded that such additional evidence “raises questions.”

The jury rejected his testimony and rendered guilty verdicts after deliberating for approximately one and one-half hours.

County Attorney Bradley D. Beauchamp acknowledged Detective Keith Charles, formerly of the Gila Count Sheriff’s Office, Globe Police Department Officer Eagleton, paramedics, and the medical professionals and experts for their time, effort and dedication to this case.

Submitted by the Gila County Attorney’s Office