Highlights
- Essa Williams waived the aggravation phase of his case Wednesday, making aggravating factors deemed proven for sentencing purposes.
- Williams was convicted earlier this month of shooting rookie Officer Tyler Moldovan eight times, including twice in the head, in December 2021.
- Moldovan survived after months of hospitalization and testified at trial about brain stem injuries from the head wounds.
- Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, where Williams faces decades in prison.
Essa Williams, convicted of shooting Phoenix Officer Tyler Moldovan eight times in a 2021 ambush, waived his right to a jury hearing on aggravating factors Wednesday, a Maricopa County Superior Court spokesperson confirmed. By waiving the aggravation phase, Williams avoids a separate jury proceeding; those factors are now considered proven for sentencing purposes. He faces decades in prison when sentenced Sept. 30.
Williams was convicted earlier this month. Court officials said the jury deliberated for less than an hour, as 12News and KTAR also reported.
The shooting occurred Dec. 14, 2021, when Moldovan, nine months into the job, and his partner, Officer Zach Johnson, responded to a call about cars doing donuts near 19th Avenue and Camelback Road. Williams shot Moldovan eight times during the response and was planning to shoot Johnson before Johnson tackled him and took him into custody.
Moldovan, given little chance to survive, spent months in the hospital undergoing extensive rehabilitation. At trial, he testified that he sustained gunshot wounds to the right side behind the ear and the left side behind the ear, as well as injuries to his shoulder, thumb, wrist, hip and legs. He said the head wounds caused brain stem injuries.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 30.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 26/08/2026 22:52
- 12News retrieved 26/08/2026 22:52
- ktar.com retrieved 26/08/2026 22:52
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 26/08/2026 22:52. Every claim traces to a source.
