Attorney General Tom Horne Announces Execution

Phoenix, AZ (Wednesday, October 9, 2013)  --  Attorney General Horne announces the execution of 71-year-old, Edward Harold Schad Jr, ADC #040496. The execution commenced today at 10:03 a.m. at the Arizona State Prison Complex (ASPC) in Florence. The time of death was pronounced at 10:12 a.m.

On August 1, 1978, Lorimer Graves, a 74-year-old Bisbee Resident, left Bisbee in a new Cadillac. Graves was on his way to Everett, Washington to visit his sister. However, he never made it there. On August 9, 1978, Graves’ badly decomposed body was found hidden in the brush just off of U.S. Highway 89 south of Prescott. Crime scene officials discovered Graves was strangled to death due to the rope still knotted around Graves’ neck. After strangling Graves, Schad stole Graves’ Cadillac. About a month later he was stopped in New York for speeding. Police then found many of Mr. Graves’ belongings in the car and arrested him.

Schad had a prior conviction punishable by life imprisonment, and another involving violence. On September 9th, 1979, Schad was sentenced to death. After a second trial, Schad was resentenced to death on August 29, 1985.