On a tragic day in September of 1993, the life of Albert B. Luna, a 46-year-old White/Caucasian male, was brutally cut short in his Maryvale, Arizona home. The events of September 14th unfolded as a horrific act of violence that also claimed the lives of his wife, Patricia, and two of their children, 18-year-old Rochelle and 5-year-old Damien. The architect of this devastation was Richard Kenneth Djerf, a man who harbored a vengeful grudge against Albert's eldest son, Albert Luna Jr., over a suspected theft.
Seeking retribution, Djerf arrived at the Luna residence under the guise of delivering flowers. Once inside, he subdued Patricia and her young son, Damien. Later that afternoon, when Rochelle returned home, she was assaulted and murdered. Albert Sr. arrived home from work to this nightmare. Djerf attacked him with an aluminum baseball bat, leaving him severely injured. Despite his grave injuries, Albert Sr. courageously fought back with a pocketknife, wounding his attacker. However, Djerf ultimately overpowered him, stabbing and then shooting him multiple times. Following this, Djerf executed Patricia and Damien. In a failed attempt to conceal his crimes, he tried to set the house on fire before fleeing in the family's car with stolen items.
The investigation swiftly led to Richard Kenneth Djerf, who was arrested on September 18, 1993, just four days after the murders. The evidence against him was overwhelming, including the murder weapons and stolen property. Djerf later confessed to the killings and, in 1996, pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder. For his heinous crimes, he received a death sentence for each count. After years of appeals, which consistently upheld his conviction and sentences, Djerf remained on death row. In October of 2025, Richard Kenneth Djerf was executed for the murders of the Luna family.
