Justice Delayed: Family of Ted Price Awaits Execution of His Killer After 23 Years

The life of Ted Price, a 40-year-old man from Utah, was undergoing a significant transformation when it was tragically cut short. After parting ways with his longtime partner, Price embarked on a new chapter, pursuing an education to become a radiology technician. His enthusiasm was infectious, as he eagerly quizzed family members on the intricacies of the human body and reconnected with old friends. His sister, Karen Price, shared her family’s joy, stating, "We were thrilled for him."

However, this promising path took an unforeseen turn, leading Price to his untimely demise. Seeking an accelerated program in Arizona, he made the fateful decision to temporarily reside with his ex-partner. Unbeknownst to him, she was living amidst a dangerous environment of drug abuse. A conflict arose between Price and his ex-partner, culminating in her new boyfriend, Aaron Gunches, driving Price into the desolate Arizona desert and committing the heinous act of murder.

Now, 23 years later, Arizona is poised to execute Aaron Gunches for the murder of Ted Price. Ironically, Gunches has actively sought this outcome for years, waiving his right to a clemency hearing, his last opportunity to appeal his sentence. The execution is scheduled for Wednesday via lethal injection.

In anticipation of the execution, USA TODAY interviewed Price’s family to honor his memory and shed light on the profound loss they have endured. Described as a quiet and kind individual who cherished cats and muscle cars, Price was remembered for his compassionate nature. "He treated everybody with kindness, he was fun, he was funny," recounted his sister, Sheila Banaszek. She further emphasized his desire to help others, stating, "When he had a chance to reinvent himself, he chose the medical field because he wanted to help people."

Karen Price recalled an instance where her brother, upon visiting the grandmother of a friend in a nursing home, extended his kindness to all the residents, "making friends wherever he went." Banaszek affirmed, "Nobody could say anything bad about him."

Price’s family was immensely proud of his academic achievements and his determination to build a better future for himself after dedicating a decade as a stay-at-home father to his ex-partner’s two children. Banaszek shared how Price would excitedly call after his exams, joking about becoming valedictorian.

Driven by the opportunity to complete his education faster and secure grants, Price relocated to the Phoenix area. He arranged to stay with his ex-partner temporarily before moving into student housing. However, upon arrival, he discovered she was living in a drug-infested environment in Mesa, a Phoenix suburb. The family learned that she had become addicted to methamphetamines and had even used the drug with her 14-year-old daughter in front of her son. Karen Price speculated that her brother’s disapproval of this lifestyle likely contributed to the conflict, stating, "Ted did not involve himself with those kinds of activities and he probably showed up and was like, ‘What the heck like, this is not acceptable.’"

Having been a father figure to his ex-partner’s children for a decade, Price remained protective of them. Karen Price explained, "It makes sense that he would be willing to protect those kids, even though the relationship wasn’t the best."

The family believes Price was unaware of the dangerous situation he was entering. Investigators revealed that he confronted his ex-partner and demanded she change her ways. Karen Price acknowledged his potential naivete, saying, "There’s a good possibility he was a little naive in thinking that he could just threaten to call CPS (Child Protective Services) and (his ex) would be like, ‘Oh gosh darn,’ and not do something about it."

According to court records, Gunches pleaded guilty to murdering Price after an argument between Price and his ex-partner, during which she struck Price with a telephone.

On the night of November 14, 2002, Gunches instructed two of the ex-partner’s roommates to place Price and his belongings in her car to transport him to the bus station. However, upon reaching the bus station, Gunches claimed he lacked the funds for a bus ticket and ordered the driver to leave Mesa.

The driver told investigators that Once they arrived in a secluded desert area, Gunches and Price exited the vehicle. Gunches then shot Price four times.

Gunches has consistently admitted to the murder. Following his guilty plea, he repeatedly waived his rights to legal representation, mitigation, and post-conviction litigation, expressing his desire to be executed so that Price’s family could receive justice.

During his sentencing, Gunches stated, "Do what you’re going to do." The presiding judge commented that Gunches was "committing suicide by jury."

Karen Price acknowledged that Gunches’ execution would mark the end of dealing with the aftermath of her brother’s murder, but emphasized that "it’s not closure." She added, "There’s no such thing."

Price disclosed that she and other family members had been closely monitoring Gunches’ status in the Arizona prison system and expressed their frustration when he was moved to more comfortable conditions. "We wanted that man in solitary confinement. He ought to suffer," she said. "He ought to be the most miserable human being on the face of the Earth for what he did to our brother, and we wanted that for him." She described the process of tracking Gunches as "emotionally taxing" and conveyed her readiness for his execution. "The people that are against the death penalty are like, ‘Well, it’s not bringing the victim back.’ Well, no (expletive), it’s not bringing Ted back," Karen Price said. "Nothing will bring Ted back, but the person who killed Ted is getting what he’s supposed to get, according to the law of Arizona."

Price’s mother, Phyllis Price Tueller, and his biological son, Justin, expressed their belief that executing Gunches was insufficient punishment for his actions. "I feel that he wants this execution because he’s tired of being on death row," Price’s mother said. "I don’t want him executed. I want him to suffer."

Karen Price stated that the majority of the family desires the execution to proceed. "We want to be done with him, to not have to think about him anymore, to not have to get any calls from victims advocates," Price said. "We just want to be done."