Boyfriend shot ‘bright’ teacher, left her to die, AZ officials say. He’s prison-bound

A 65-year-old man is going to prison after being accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend in 2021, Arizona officials said.

Cecil Noyola was sentenced July 17 to 25 years in prison on a count of second-degree murder and three years on a count of tampering with evidence, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said in a news release. He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison in a separate case.

On Jan. 5, 2021, officers responded to two calls about a welfare check at an apartment in Phoenix and found Jessica Kennedy with a gunshot wound to her head, officials said. There was no weapon at the scene.

“This defendant shot his girlfriend, left her to die, and then did everything possible to avoid being held accountable,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. “I hope Jessica knows we worked hard over the last three years to get justice for her. To her family and loved ones, I hope this is the start of their journey towards healing.”

Noyola fled Arizona before eventually turning himself in, officials said. He later told officials he gave the gun to a friend.

Kennedy was a veteran and a preschool teacher who was described by her family as “a beautiful person with a bright personality who always wanted to be there for them,” prosecutors said.

In March, Noyola was found guilty of murder and tampering with evidence, officials said.

This story was originally published July 18, 2024 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Boyfriend shot ‘bright’ teacher, left her to die, AZ officials say. He’s prison-bound."