John Bunyard, a 35-year-old man, was fatally shot on November 12, 2023, following an all-night rave he was promoting in the desert area outside of Superior, Arizona. The event, called 'Program Your Reality,' had drawn a crowd of 50 to 100 people and had concluded without incident before the shooting occurred. Bunyard, who was also a DJ known as DJ ColdPress, was at the event with his girlfriend, Ashtyn O'Hara.
The couple were the organizers of the gathering.
The incident unfolded when another attendee, Daniel Schmitt, 29, began acting erratically. Schmitt, who was reportedly under the influence of LSD and mescaline, attempted to steal a vehicle. During this attempt, he encountered Bunyard. According to court records, Schmitt perceived Bunyard as having 'solid black eyes and a distorted face.' He demanded a set of keys that were around Bunyard's neck before opening fire. Bunyard was shot multiple times and died at the scene. His girlfriend, Ashtyn O'Hara, was also struck by the gunfire, sustaining injuries to her abdomen, back, and forearm. She was subsequently transported to a hospital for surgery and was reported to be in stable condition.
After the shooting, Schmitt fled the immediate area but called 911 himself to report the incident. Pinal County Sheriff's deputies responded to the call and arrested Schmitt at the scene. He was initially charged with first-degree murder for the death of John Bunyard and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the injuries to Ashtyn O'Hara.
In a subsequent plea deal with Pinal County prosecutors, Daniel Schmitt pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated assault. In February 2025, a Pinal County Superior Court judge sentenced Schmitt to 19.5 years in prison. The sentence consists of 16 years for the murder of John Bunyard and a consecutive 3.5-year sentence for the assault on Ashtyn O'Hara.
