PHOENIX — The widower of metro Phoenix’s former top county prosecutor was suspected of fatally shooting a woman he was in a relationship with and her mother on Christmas Eve before taking his own life.

Phoenix police say 47-year-old David DeNitto is believed to have killed 47-year-old Maryalice Cash and 83-year-old Cynthia Domini after an altercation at a home where there was a holiday gathering. An investigation into the deaths is underway.

Previous Marriage and Controversy

DeNitto was previously married to former Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel, who died in late April 2022 of health complications that weren’t specified. Adel, the first woman to be elected Maricopa County attorney, served in that position from October 2019 until her resignation in March 2022.

She resigned amid criticism of her performance, including the dismissal of 180 misdemeanor cases because charges were not filed before the statute of limitations expired. She also faced scrutiny over whether an acknowledged alcohol abuse problem had affected her ability to do the job.

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Community Reaction

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, who succeeded Adel, said in a statement that it was “impossible to comprehend a tragedy such as this. Words cannot adequately express the flood of sorrow. I ask the community to join me in praying for the families affected and, most especially, Allister’s children.”