In the summer of 1989, a troubled relationship spiraled into a tragic day of violence that ended the life of 55-year-old Gene Dietz. On the morning of August 7th, at the automotive paint and body shop he owned with his family in Tucson, Arizona, the simmering tensions between his daughter's estranged boyfriend and his family reached a fatal conclusion.
Gene, a male, was at his place of business when Joseph Rudolph Wood III, who had been in a tumultuous and abusive relationship with Gene's daughter, Debra, arrived.
The events of that morning unfolded with a chilling swiftness. Wood entered the shop and waited for Gene to finish a telephone call. He then approached, drew a revolver, and without a word, shot Gene in the chest. The single shot was fatal. After shooting Gene, Wood proceeded to find Debra elsewhere in the shop. He grabbed her by the neck and shot her twice, ending her life as well.
Police, who had been alerted to a suspicious person in the area, were already arriving at the scene as the tragic events unfolded. Wood was confronted by officers as he exited the shop. He initially complied with commands to drop his weapon but then made a move to raise it towards the officers. In response, the officers fired, striking Wood multiple times. He was then taken into custody at the scene.
Joseph Rudolph Wood III was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Gene and Debra Dietz. He was also charged with aggravated assault. Following a trial, he was convicted on all counts and sentenced to death for each of the murders. After years of appeals, Wood was executed for his crimes on July 23, 2014.
