In the winter of 1987, a chilling sequence of events unfolded at the Burnt Corral campground at Apache Lake, Arizona, culminating in the death of Larry Pritchard. On the evening of February 3rd, the 43-year-old male was invited to dine with a fellow camper, Robert Charles Comer, and his companion, Juneva Willis. In a sudden and brutal turn of events after the meal, Comer shot Pritchard in the head.
It remains uncertain whether the single gunshot was immediately fatal, but Comer proceeded to stab him in the neck. After taking an Emergency Medical Technician badge from Pritchard's pocket, Comer had Willis conceal the body by covering it with wood.
The violence did not end with Pritchard's murder. Comer and Willis then descended upon Pritchard's campsite, stealing his belongings and even his dog. Their crime spree continued as they targeted another pair of campers they had met earlier, Jane Jones and Richard Smith. The couple was subjected to a terrifying ordeal that included armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. Comer's brutality escalated as he sexually assaulted and abused Jones. Although Comer threatened to kill Smith, Jones managed to persuade him not to. Comer eventually left Smith in the woods and drove off with Jones. During this time, he also shot and killed Pritchard's dog.
The terrifying ordeal for Jones came to an end when she managed to escape while Comer was preoccupied with fixing his truck. A passing motorist picked her up and took her to the sheriff's home. In the meantime, Smith had also managed to make his way back to the Burnt Corral campground and report the incident to the Department of Public Safety. The authorities acted swiftly, leading to the prompt apprehension of both Comer and Willis.
In the subsequent legal proceedings in Maricopa County, both Comer and Willis faced a litany of charges. These included the first-degree murder and armed robbery of Pritchard, as well as the armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated assault of Jones and Smith. Comer faced additional charges for the sexual abuse and assault of Jones. In a plea deal, Willis pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping in exchange for her testimony against Comer, which resulted in the other charges against her being dropped. During his 1988 trial for capital murder, Comer was notably absent from the courtroom. After a seven-day trial, a jury found him guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Larry Pritchard and also received aggravated, consecutive prison terms for the other offenses.
