Sentencing awaits for former Arizona grad student convicted of killing professor
A former University of Arizona graduate student convicted of fatally shooting a hydrology professor on campus months after he was expelled is awaiting his sentence
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A former University of Arizona graduate student convicted of fatally shooting a hydrology professor on campus months after he was expelled could be facing a life prison term when he's sentenced Monday.
A Pima County Superior Court jury last month found Murad Dervish guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Thomas Meixner, who was shot 11 times near his office on Oct. 5, 2022.
Dervish, 48, also was convicted on five other felony counts, including aggravated assault for a bullet that grazed a building manager.
Jurors deliberated for less than three hours on May 21 before reaching their verdicts against Dervish.
Prosecutors have said Dervish should get life in prison without parole.
Dervish’s attorney said his client was in the midst of a psychotic episode at the time of the shooting and urged jurors to consider a lesser charge of second-degree murder that could have meant confinement in a psychiatric hospital, rather than a prison cell.
But prosecutors said evidence showed Dervish planned Meixner’s killing and bought a 9 mm handgun a month before using it in the shooting.
Meixner, 52, headed the university’s Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences. Dervish was in the master’s degree program in atmospheric sciences.
Authorities said Dervish was banned from the school in January 2022 and later expelled for ongoing issues with professors after he received a bad grade.
According to a criminal complaint, a flyer with a photograph of Dervish was then circulated to university staff in February 2022 with instructions to call 911 if Dervish ever entered the John W. Harshbarger Building, where Meixner worked.
The complaint also said Dervish was barred from school property and was the subject of several reports of harassment and threats to staff members working at Harshbarger.
Witnesses testified that Dervish was wearing a surgical mask and baseball cap as a disguise when he showed up outside Meixner’s office and shot the professor.
Dervish fled the scene but was arrested three hours later after Arizona state troopers stopped his car on a highway more than 120 miles (190 kilometers) northwest of Tucson.
Authorities said a loaded handgun was found in the vehicle, and the ammunition was consistent with the shell casings found at the shooting scene.