AG Horne Statement On Execution of Convicted Murderer Thomas Kemp

Attorney General Tom Horne today issued the following statement upon the execution of convicted murder Thomas Kemp: 

"Nearly 20 years after murdering Tucson resident Hector Juarez, justice has been served on Thomas Kemp. 

"Kemp was a particularly cold-blooded individual. He never expressed any kind of remorse for his crimes, which were particularly brutal. On July 11, 1992, he encountered Tucson resident Hector Juarez at Juarez's apartment complex. He abducted Juarez, used his ATM to steal $200 and then drove him to a remote area near Marana, where he forced Juarez to disrobe and fatally shot him twice in the head. An added measure of cruel and depraved conduct was that Juarez knew he would be killed. Kemp then took Juarez's truck to Flagstaff, sold it, and while in Flagstaff encountered a couple travelling through Arizona. Kemp and an accomplice kidnapped that couple, forced them to drive to Colorado where the man was sexually assaulted by Kemp. Kemp was later caught when the crimes were reported by his accomplice. 

"Now that Thomas Kemp has paid the penalty for his terrible crimes, it is my hope that his victims and their families will find some measure of peace that justice has been carried out, although we will work to see that victims in the future can see more timely justice." 

The execution began at 10:01 a.m. this morning and time of death was 10:08 a.m.