PHOENIX— Aaron Ott (D.O.B. 01-07-1997) was sentenced today to 27 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Armed Robbery and 2nd Degree Murder of 16-year-old Miguel Navarro who met the defendant to sell an Xbox.
“Today's sentencing will offer this defendant time to think about the lasting effects of his violent actions and the impact of callously cutting an innocent young man’s life short,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
On April 17, 2016 a 911 call was made by Navarro after being shot near his home where he was attempting to sell a video game system to another man. He died from his injures while on the phone with dispatchers. According to witnesses Navarro was seen with the item talking with another male, later identified as the defendant. Witnesses saw the defendant point a gun at Navarro who then turned to walk away from the defendant. A short time later witnesses heard a gunshot and saw Navarro lying on the ground injured while the gunman ran from the area and left in a SUV.
Investigators were able to identify 17-year-old Pedro Claro-Fernandez as the one who had arranged the sale of the game system with Navarro, but he did not match the gunman’s description. When police went to find Claro-Fernandez they saw him riding in a vehicle that matched the description of the SUV leaving the shooting scene. The SUV was driven by Ott who also matched the description of the gunman.
When interviewed by detectives, Claro-Fernandez admitted to setting up the sale of the gaming system and waiting in the SUV when the murder happened. Inside his home detectives found the gun used in the murder as well the stolen gaming system.
When questioned, the defendant said that he was high on marijuana and had no memory of the murder.
Claro-Fernandez is still pending trial for this role in Navarro’s murder.