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Phoenix man tied to 4 unsolved murders dies

Posted at 10:29 PM, Sep 14, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-15 01:29:43-04

A Phoenix man who collected millions of dollars in death benefits after three different business partners and his wife were murdered has apparently died while on a cruise.

Peter Mizioch passed away this weekend, according to Crime Watch Daily, a nationally-syndicated crime show that spoke to family members Monday.

The cause of death wasn’t immediately known.

It’s the latest twist in a decades-long saga and it comes just two weeks after an ABC15 report that focused on Mizioch pleading guilty to federal tax evasion charges.

After Mizioch pleaded guilty, a federal judge allowed him to take a Disney cruise before his sentencing.

The timing of his death comes just days before Crime Watch Daily was set to air a months-long investigation into Mizioch’s ties to the four unsolved murders. The show’s investigation airs Tuesday.

During the past four decades, three of Mizioch’s business partners and his wife, Phyllis, have been murdered.

All of the murder cases are unsolved.

A fourth business partner of Mizioch was also shot in the back in 1979. The victim in that case survived.

The four murder victims had key-man business or life insurance policies that listed Peter Mizioch as a beneficiary.

In total, Mizioch has collected $8 million in death benefits, media reports and court records show.

In the 2010 murder of Phyllis Mizioch, the insurance company refused to pay out death benefits to Peter Mizioch because Phoenix Police considered him a suspect, records show.

READ THE INSURANCE COMPANY’S LAWSUIT

A federal judge eventually ruled that the benefits had to be paid.

The family of Phyllis Mizioch, who said the couple was about to divorce, also filed a wrongful-death lawsuit that was later dismissed.

Outside the courthouse Wednesday, a tense scene unfolded when ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing approached Mizioch to ask him about the tax evasion case and unsolved murders.

Mizioch didn’t answer any questions and remained calm and silent before getting into a SUV.

But his defense attorney Larry Debus yelled “get out of my way” before pushing Biscobing.  

SEE MORE OF THE TENSE MOMENTS IN ABC15’S PREVIOUS REPORT

After turning to look at the camera, Debus quickly pivoted away and walked across the street before getting into a truck.

Debus is a well-known Phoenix attorney. "His clients range from Glenn Campbell to the “Trunk Murderess” Winnie Ruth Judd, and many professional athletes," according to a description by his law firm.

**Crime Watch Daily airs on ABC15 at 3 p.m.

Contact ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing at dbiscobing@abc15.com