A former University of Arizona graduate student, Murad Dervish, was convicted of first-degree murder for fatally shooting hydrology professor Thomas Meixner on campus. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching a verdict. Dervish was also convicted of five other felony counts, including aggravated assault. Meixner, who headed the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, was shot 11 times near his office in October 2022. Dervish, who showed no emotion during the reading of the verdicts, is set to be sentenced on June 24 and could face life in prison.
Dervish, who was in the master’s degree program in atmospheric sciences, had been banned from the university in January 2022 and later expelled due to ongoing issues with professors after receiving a bad grade. Defense attorney Leo Masursky argued that Dervish was having a psychotic episode during the shooting and that the crime was not premeditated. Masursky urged the jury to consider a lesser charge of second-degree murder, citing Dervish’s mental health issues, including psychosis, autism with schizoid features, and clinical depression. However, Pima County prosecutor Mark Hotchkiss argued that evidence showed Dervish planned Meixner’s killing and purchased a handgun a month before using it in the shooting.
A criminal complaint revealed that a flyer with a photograph of Dervish was circulated to university staff in February 2022 with instructions to call 911 if he ever entered the building where Meixner worked. Dervish was also barred from school property and was reported for harassment and threats to staff members. Witnesses testified that Dervish was wearing a surgical mask and baseball cap as a disguise when he shot Meixner outside his office. Dervish fled the scene but was arrested three hours later after being stopped by Arizona state troopers on a highway more than 120 miles northwest of Tucson. A loaded handgun consistent with the shell casings found at the shooting scene was found in Dervish’s vehicle.
The defense argued that Dervish was not guilty but insane, while the prosecution maintained that he was simply guilty of the crimes. The jury ultimately found Dervish guilty of first-degree murder and other felony counts. His sentencing is scheduled for June 24, where he could face life in prison. The case highlighted the tragic shooting that took place on the university campus and the mental health issues that Dervish was dealing with at the time of the incident. Despite the arguments presented by both the defense and prosecution, the jury ultimately held Dervish accountable for his actions.
