A woman convicted of murdering her two young daughters in 2021 has died by suicide in an Arizona prison.
Retta Cruse, 38, was found unresponsive in her housing unit at Perryville Prison on February 21st. According to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR), Cruse died from an apparent act of self-harm by hanging.
Prison staff attempted life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, but Cruse was pronounced dead at the scene.
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In September 2021, police responded to a report at Cruse’s Phoenix apartment and discovered the bodies of her two daughters, 9-year-old Aleyah and 4-year-old Royal. Cruse was found barricaded in a bedroom with self-inflicted knife wounds.
Investigations revealed that Cruse had intentionally overdosed her daughters with prescription and over-the-counter medications. She later confessed to the crimes, stating that she committed them due to a bitter custody battle over her eldest daughter.
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Cruse pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in 2022 and was sentenced to prison.
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