Buckeye teens charged in DOC officer’s death

Benjamin Cannon, 15, and Felix Vasquez, 16, were indicted Thursday on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery, theft of a means of transportation and arson.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said the two teens will be tried as adults under the Stop Juvenile Crime Initiative, but are not eligible for the death penalty.

Bail for each teen was set at $2 million and their preliminary hearing was set for Monday.

The suspects’ parents and relatives all declined comment on the indictments.

Bradley Jay Gerrard, 28, was shot at close range late Oct. 18 after an apparent carjacking blocks from his home, Buckeye police said.

Gerrard was on his way back home from a trip to Wal-Mart, was at a stop sign when two teens approached him.

Passing drivers later found his dead body on the median. Police found his car burned miles away.

Cannon and Vasquez were arrested three days after the slaying.

Gerrard was a corrections officer since 2004 and worked at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis near Buckeye. He is survived by a 2-year-old son and wife, who is eight weeks pregnant.