PHOENIX — A Valley man who admitted to killing his new wife was sentenced to almost two decades in prison, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) announced Monday.
Stephen Dennis, 36, stabbed and killed his wife, 37-year-old Aliccia Grant, outside of a Home Depot in north Phoenix last September after the couple talked about getting an annulment, according to prosecutors.
He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this year and was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Friday, court documents said.
Husband killed wife after discussion of annulment
The stabbing occurred in the Home Depot parking lot near Cactus and Cave Creek roads just after midnight on Sept. 9, 2024.
Witnesses said they heard a woman in a Toyota Prius who was screaming for help.
The woman, later identified as Grant, had been stabbed multiple times.
Her husband, Dennis, was seen in the passenger seat of the car.
Dennis got out of the car, argued with someone and grabbed a bag out of the car before running away.
Bystanders began trying to help Grant. They were relieved by Phoenix police officers once they got to the scene.
While the officers were treating Grant, she told them that she had been attacked by Dennis, according to the release from MCAO.
Grant was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Dennis later called 911 and admitted to the crime. He told police where to find him and was taken into custody.
MCAO added that Dennis told police that he had recently married Grant and the couple were discussing an annulment when the murder happened.
“This was just a violent crime — it was an act of betrayal carried out by someone who should have been a source of safety, not fear,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a press release.
We want to hear from you.
Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.
