In May, Watson’s attorney, Paul Bannerless, asked prosecutors to turn over the entire investigative file, from Pima County sheriff’s detectives to Corey Fox’s confession to the murder of Watson’s ex-wife, Linda Watson. filed a complaint.

Bannerless said he had obtained a copy of a four-page letter from Illinois inmate Fox in December 2022 in which he confessed to the murder of Linda Watson and provided “substantial details of the killing.” defense attorney said in a court filing.

According to court records, Bannerless then spoke with Bradley Roach, the head of the Conviction and Sentencing Integrity Division at the Pima County Attorney’s Office, who said he and the sheriff’s Homicide Division would investigate. said.

Linda Watson, 35, disappeared from her home on Block 2600 of West Curtis Road in 2000. Investigators later found blood on the floor of her house, a plastic trash bag and a vacuum cord, the Arizona Daily Star reported. . Her skull was found three years later near the Silver Bell Mine northwest of Tucson. The skull was not identified as hers until 2011.

Three years after the murder, her mother, Marilyn Cox, 63, and her friend, Lenny Farnsworth, 53, were found in Cox’s driveway after Cox’s first unsupervised visit to the Watson daughter. Shot dead by a gunman.

In April 2015, Watson was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder. At the first trial in 2016, county prosecutor Jonathan Mosher alleged that Watson killed his wife to end a nasty custody battle over their then-four-year-old daughter, The Star reported. Mosher also said he assassinated Cox after Watson publicly accused him of the disappearance of his daughter.

At a hearing on Friday, Pima County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Kuhn ordered the state to produce a full investigative file on Mr. Fox’s confession by Aug. 18. He also ordered that no information be redacted unless required by state law.

In court records, Banares said investigators requested a full copy of the files, but detectives said investigators should request a public record of the files. Mr. Bannerless said Mr. Watson would not have to spend the money and time filing a public records request for information directly related to the investigation into the confessions of others in the murders in which he was convicted.

“Defense has obtained all materials and reports, including Fox’s confession to the murder of Linda Watson, and is consistent with his statements, particularly with respect to his knowledge and personal facts about Linda and the facts of the case. It is imperative to be able to judge whether it is murder itself,” the motion said.

Roach, the prosecutor in the case, did not attend Friday’s hearing and did not respond to Mr. Bannerles’ allegations.

Court records show that the state did not file a response to Banares’ allegations by the original deadline of June 19. The state then had until July 7 to respond, but nothing was alleged.

Due to their absence and lack of response, Mr. Kuhn also set up a hearing by order for August 11.

Friday’s hearing will add to a multi-year legal battle. Watson’s first trial in 2016 ended in a miscarriage of justice due to jury restraint.

A year later, Watson was tried again and found guilty of three counts of murder. He was denied a new trial and sentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder of Linda Watson. Life imprisonment for Cox’s murder. He was again sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Farnsworth.

Watson’s attorneys appealed to the Arizona Court of Appeals, but the appeal was dismissed in 2019, confirming Watson’s conviction.

According to court records, Mr. Bannerless has until Oct. 16 to file a request for review. The deadline for the petition had previously been extended by Mr. Kuhn because Mr. Bannerless needed additional time to complete the discovery and investigation of Mr. Fox’s confession.