A Tucson man accused of killing a young couple 11 years ago committed the crime in a jealous rage and with the help of his brother, according to recently filed court documents.
Gary Dwayne Skaggs, 44, was indicted in June on first-degree murder charges in connection with the August 1995 deaths of Antonio Rodriguez and Danielle Wessels, two 18-year-olds with a 6-month-old daughter.
At the time of Skaggs' arrest, detectives and prosecutors declined to explain how they tied Skaggs to the slayings, but court documents filed by Deputy Pima County Attorney William McCollum on Tuesday provide new details.
According to the documents, Skaggs used a machete to kill Rodriguez and Wessels because he was upset that Rodriguez had a sexual relationship with another woman, who was the mother of Skaggs' child.
The court documents also indicate Skaggs was identified as a potential suspect in the case within hours of the slayings.
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Skaggs' attorney, Michael Lange, did not return phone calls seeking comment.
The two couples knew each other because they once lived in the same Midtown apartment complex, as did Skaggs' brother, Rick Skaggs, who has since died. Details about his death were not available Tuesday.
A friend of Gary Skaggs is willing to testify that Gary Skaggs took him to the Rodriguez/Wessels apartment several days before the slaying so they could hurt Rodriguez, but he wasn't home, court documents show.
The friend will also testify that on the morning of the slayings Gary Skaggs told him he'd "taken care" of Rodriguez and was also forced to "take care" of Wessels because she woke up during the attack and he could not leave a witness.
A second witness will testify Rick Skaggs told her that he and another person "had every right to do this," and they'd used a machete.
Authorities found a machete hidden behind a dresser in Gary Skaggs' bedroom three days after the slaying.
Although no DNA could be found on the machete, court documents indicate a medical examiner will testify the injuries found on the victims are consistent with those caused by a machete.
Rodriguez was found on the floor of the living room, Wessels was found on a nearby couch, and the baby was found unharmed in the same room.
According to court documents, the adults were found in positions "consistent with" their sleeping habits and there were no signs of a struggle.
An investigation showed they died of blunt-force trauma with multiple lacerations.
When detectives went to talk to Gary Skaggs about the slayings the afternoon the bodies were discovered, he showed no emotion and denied knowing about it, court documents say.
Rick Skaggs, however, appeared "nervous and was visibly shaking," according to court documents.
He said he was at his brother's apartment because he'd just heard the couple had been shot, and he'd wanted to tell him.
Gary Skaggs was recently charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the case.
McCollum filed the court documents to get the original murder charges and the new charges combined into one case.
Gary Skaggs, who remains in jail in lieu of $2 million bond, will be in court again Sept. 19.
