Arizona man found guilty of murdering his girlfriend

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Cecil Noyola was found guilty for the murder of his girlfriend, Jessica Kennedy, which occurred in January of 2021.

PHOENIX — A man was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend in 2021, authorities said Thursday.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced the guilty verdict of Cecil Noyola, 66, for the murder of his girlfriend, Jessica Kennedy, who was 39 at the time. Noyola stands convicted of second-degree murder, which is a class one felony, and tampering with evidence, which is a class six felony. His sentencing is scheduled for May.

Phoenix police responded to two calls requesting a welfare check on Jan. 5, 2021. When police entered the apartment, officers found Kennedy with a gunshot wound to the head but did not find a weapon at the scene.

Police said the defendant was “acting erratically” over several days, according to the initial investigation.

After fleeing Arizona, Noyola turned himself in to authorities in January 2021. Noyola admitted to giving the gun to a friend and it was recovered after the friend was arrested, according to a news release.

“This defendant shot his girlfriend, left her to die, and then did everything possible to avoid being held accountable,” Mitchell said in a news release. “I hope Jessica knows we worked hard over the last three years to get justice for her. To her family and loved ones, I hope this is the start of their journey towards healing.”

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