All charges have been dismissed against a defendant in a first-degree murder trial in Parker. On Oct. 10, during a trial being held in La Paz County Superior Court, Judge Matthew Newman dismissed the charges against Marcos Ricardo Ruiz-Zazeuta because he said the state, after presenting its case, did not prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ruiz-Zazueta had been charged in the death of Rodolfo Ballardo in an incident Sept. 13, 2017 in Quartzsite. He had been charged under Arizona’s felony murder law, which states a person can be charged with first degree murder if that person is committing a felony and someone dies as a result.
Ruiz-Zazueta had been charged with first degree murder, conspiracy to commit possession of dangerous drugs for sale, conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs for sale, and conspiracy to commit transportation of dangerous drugs for sale.
Earlier in the case, on Sept. 26, Newman granted a defense motion to dismiss the following charges with prejudice, meaning they could not be filed again: attempted second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit assault against an officer, and conspiracy to commit unlawful flight.
The incident began Sept. 13, 2017 with a traffic stop 40 miles east of Quartzsite on westbound Interstate 10. Ruiz-Zazueta was driving a 1998 Ford Mustang west on I-10 when he was pulled over by a Department of Public Safety trooper for a suspended license plate. Ruiz-Zazueta exited the vehicle and was talking to the trooper when Ballardo, a passenger in the Mustang, began shooting at the trooper. The trooper wasn’t harmed, and Ballardo sped off in the Mustang.
A description of Ballardo was sent to other DPS troopers, U.S. Border Patrol agents and La Paz County Sheriff’s Deputies. After several exchanges of gunfire with law officers, Ballardo allegedly stole a semi-truck and exited I-10 in Quartzsite. He was killed in a final exchange of gunfire near the west end of Main Street in Quartzsite.
Two of the attorneys in this case are running to replace Newman on the Superior Court bench in November: Jessica Quickle for the defense La Paz County Deputy County Attorney Karen Hobbs for the state. Hobbs was also representing the state in the case of Kitage Lynch. Newman ordered that case dismissed without prejudice Sept. 21. He accused the La Paz County Attorney’s Office of “playing games” with the speedy trial rules rather than preparing the case for trial. By dismissing without prejudice, the prosecution can bring the case back at a later date.
Lynch was charged with three homicides in 2016 near Salome. He is currently serving a 15-year sentence on charges out of Maricopa County.
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