Overview
- The courtroom attack, captured by court cameras, occurred Wednesday when Alberto Ontiveros‑Sanchez turned from the podium and punched the shackled defendant, Abel Uribe, several times at the defense table.
- Ontiveros‑Sanchez was booked on aggravated assault of a bound or restrained victim, fighting and interfering with a judicial proceeding and was released on his own recognizance after an initial appearance.
- After the disruption and a brief pause, the judge resumed the hearing and imposed the terms of a plea agreement Uribe accepted in August 2026, including life with parole eligibility after 25 years for murder plus the maximum kidnapping term allowed under the deal.
- Police say the case stems from December 2022 when David Navidad‑Parra disappeared after a private car sale test drive, was later found shot, his car was found burned more than 10 miles away, and Uribe was arrested after allegedly trying to use the victim’s credit card.
- Because Maricopa County prosecutors were present at the assault, potential charging of Ontiveros‑Sanchez has been referred to the Gila County Attorney’s Office, and the released courtroom video has raised questions about security and the emotional toll on the victim’s family.