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Man convicted of 2014 murder of Glendale church volunteer sentenced to death

Gustin Ray Woodman, Jr. was convicted of killing Mark Woodruff, who was heading home from a volunteering shift
Gustin Ray Woodman, Jr.
Posted at 9:06 AM, Feb 29, 2024
and last updated 2024-02-29 14:02:56-05

GLENDALE, AZ — A man convicted of killing a church volunteer in Glendale in 2014 has been sentenced to death.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced Thursday that 34-year-old Gustin Ray Woodman, Jr. was sentenced to death earlier this week for his role in the killing of Mark Woodruff.

Mark Woodruff

According to MCAO, Woodruff was found in the driver's seat of his vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound in the early morning hours one day in June 2014.

Two days later, police conducted a traffic stop on Woodman and found a handgun that was later confirmed to be connected to the shooting of Woodruff.

Woodman told police while being questioned that he spotted the victim at a gas station, saw money in his wallet, and decided then to follow him and rob him.

Two other women were reportedly connected to the robbery and other crimes in the area.

In October of 2023, a jury found Woodman guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery with a deadly weapon, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, and illegal possession of a weapon.