Scott Lehr

Scott Alan Lehr (born July 6, 1959), dubbed the Baby Seat Rapist, is an American convicted serial killer and serial rapist who was sentenced to death for the murders of three women in Phoenix, Arizona. Lehr first killed 40-year-old Margaret Christorf in November 1991, before he killed 21-year-old Belinda Cronin in January 1992, as well as 19-year-old Michelle Morales in February 1992. Lehr also committed the non-fatal rapes of 17 women and girls between 1991 and 1992. Lehr, who was arrested in June 1992, was found guilty of first-degree murder on all three counts and sentenced to death. He is currently on death row awaiting his execution in Arizona.

Murders and rapes Homicides Between November 1991 and February 1992, Scott Alan Lehr committed the rapes and murders of three women in Phoenix, Arizona.

On November 8, 1991, Lehr first killed 40-year-old Margaret Christorf (also spelt Margaret Chrisdorf), who was last seen in the morning at a convenience store nearby the local Indian School. Christorf was raped by Lehr, who later bludgeoned her in the head with two rocks, and she died due to fatal blunt force trauma to the head. On the same day, Christorf's body was found lying on a dirt road in an orchard, with her clothes being partially removed. Traces of semen were later detected, and the DNA matched to that of Lehr. At the time of her death, Cronin, who was divorced, left behind a son.

On February 7, 1992, 19-year-old Michelle Marie Morales was the third and final victim to be murdered. Morales, who was last seen nearby a convenience store, was raped and bludgeoned to death by Lehr with a rock, and her body was found two weeks later in a deserted area. Reportedly, Morales was only wearing her shirt and there were bruises around her vaginal area, as well as a fractured skull and lacerations on her scalp. Like both Cronin and Christorf, Morales also died due to lethal blunt force trauma to her head, and despite the inconclusive findings, DNA test results revealed that Lehr was a possible contributor of the semen found in Morales's anal area.

Suspected connection to other cases Lehr was named a suspect behind the disappearance of 13-year-old Brandy Lynn Myers, but no charges were made against him pertaining to the case.

In November 2023, Lehr was named a suspect behind another possible homicide. In this case, the police identified the skeletal remains of a teenage girl, initially dubbed the "Apache Junction Jane Doe", as 15-year-old Melody Harrison. Harrison had been found dead in June 1992, but her remains went unidentified for more than 30 years until DNA testing confirmed her identity. Her death was ruled a homicide, and investigators believed she may have been the victim of a serial killer. Both Lehr and another known serial killer, Bryan Patrick Miller, were considered potential suspects in her murder. Miller was subsequently sentenced to death in 2023 for two of the killings he was charged for.

Arrest and charges On June 27, 1992, four months after killing Morales, 32-year-old Scott Lehr was arrested for the rapes and murders he committed throughout the past year.

According to the police, the surviving rape victims testified that their attacker had a baby seat at the back of the car, and some stated that the offender drove a Nissan while others described the vehicle as a Chevrolet Caprice. One victim also told the police that the car license number was "ADW-515" while another claimed it was "ADW-519". The police uncovered that Lehr originally drove a Chevrolet Caprice before he changed to a Nissan after his wife accidentally wrecked his previous car, and Lehr's Nissan was the only vehicle registered with an "ADW" based on records from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Motor Vehicle Division. Lehr's car license number was "ADW-015", which was one digit off the description of one victim. Lehr was also identified by some of the surviving victims after police showed them his photograph obtained from his driver's license records.

In July 1992, the police were able to locate the Chevrolet Caprice, which Lehr drove to find and pick up potential victims to rape and kill.

Trial and sentencing On July 8, 1992, a Maricopa County grand jury formally indicted Lehr for three counts of first-degree murder and 36 counts of rape and other sexual offences. That same month, a tentative trial date of September 29, 1992, was scheduled for Lehr.

On July 17, 1992, the prosecution officially announced they would seek the death penalty for Lehr.

On November 26, 1996, four years after his arrest, a Maricopa County Superior Court jury convicted Lehr of all three counts of first-degree murder, as well as multiple charges of rape and sexual offences against the three murder victims and seven other women.

On August 8, 1997, 38-year-old Scott Lehr was sentenced to death for all three murders upon the jury's unanimous recommendation for capital punishment. Apart from the three death sentences, Lehr was also sentenced to 17 consecutive life sentences (or 947 years in prison) for 32 counts of raping, kidnapping and assaulting (and attempted murder for some) the 17 rape victims.

Appeals and death row As of January 1, 2003, Lehr was listed among the 122 prisoners held on death row in Arizona.

A 2014 report revealed that Lehr was one of 113 inmates held on death row in Arizona.

As of 2021, Lehr was one of 114 inmates on Arizona's death row. As of October 2022, when the state sought a death warrant for death row inmate Murray Hooper, Lehr was one of 111 prisoners remaining on Arizona's death row.

First appeals and re-trial On January 30, 2002, the Arizona Supreme Court allowed the first appeal of Lehr and overturned two of his death sentences and conviction for the killings of both Michelle Morales and Margaret Christorf, and further ordered a re-trial for these cases. However, the third death sentence for the murder of Belinda Cronin was upheld after the court found it appropriate. This judgement was made in light of a 2002 landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that only juries, not judges, should impose death sentences.

On April 17, 2009, Lehr was once again sentenced to death for both the murders of Margaret Christorf and Michelle Morales. However, the jury deadlocked on the death penalty for the third charge of killing Belinda Cronin, and as a result, the prosecution chose to take the death penalty off the table and not pursue another re-sentencing trial, and Lehr was thus sentenced to life imprisonment for Cronin's murder.

On January 11, 2019, Lehr's appeal for post-conviction relief was denied by the Maricopa County Superior Court.

On September 25, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona dismissed Lehr's petition for post-conviction relief.

On July 1, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona dismissed Lehr's appeal against his death sentence.