PHOENIX — Prosecutors have offered a plea deal to Christopher Hoopes, the man accused of shooting and killing his wife in their home in the middle of the night in 2022.
Colleen Hoopes was a dancer for Ballet Arizona.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office is offering to reduce the charge against him from second-degree murder to negligent homicide.
Second-degree murder carries a prison term of 16 to 25 years if convicted. Negligent homicide carries a much lower term of four to eight years.
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His attorney has countered with an offer of just under four years in prison and wants it classified as a non-dangerous offense.
"He does not want to put the family through a trial. Christopher is willing to accept responsibility for what he did," attorney Daniel Raynak said during a Sept. 21 settlement hearing.
At that hearing, Maricopa County Deputy Attorney Frankie Grimsman outlined the state's case against him.
"The evidence is going to show that defendant shot his wife while she lay in bed at about five or six feet away, fired multiple shots," Grimsman said.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys have both acknowledged this is a complicated case, which is why it has taken so long to even approach trial.
Body camera video from Tempe police the night of May 20, 2022 shows Hoopes telling officers who responded to his home that he was asleep for three hours. He says he woke up startled and grabbed his gun out of his nightstand, thinking there was an intruder in the house.
"It was like a dream. I don't know. I just woke up in a panic. Then I grabbed it, and I fired," Hoopes said to the officer.
When asked where he fired, Hoopes said: "I fired at my wife."
Court records show he is likely pursuing an unusual defense at trial known as involuntary intoxication, claiming medication he was taking made him unaware of what he was doing.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Welty, who presided over the recent settlement hearing, acknowledged the risk the state faces if the case goes to trial.
"The state has a risk here. And that is that the jury looks at the evidence in this case and says, 'This is not a crime.' This is a horrible, horrible set of circumstances," Welty said.
During a settlement conference, Welty confirmed Hoopes was aware of the plea offer on the table.
"Do you understand the plea offer that's been extended to you?" Welty asked.
"Yes, I do, your honor," Hoopes said.
The prosecution and defense are still actively negotiating the terms of a deal.
ABC15 reached out to Colleen Hoopes' family for comment on the potential plea deal but have not heard back yet.
The next court date is set for mid-October.
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