The Couple That Kills Together... Blames Each Other

In the autumn of 1994 Delbert Hoss was a 63-year-old former biker living near Cortes Lake in Yavapai County, Arizona. Born in 1931, he had survived a serious motorcycle crash in Phoenix in 1977, when the motorcycle he was riding on the back of collided with two vehicles on Cave Creek Road; the rider, Stuart, was killed, and Hoss was thrown clear and treated at John C. Lincoln Hospital. details of the account remain covered until revealed

the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it They lived near Cortes Lake. this part of the story is covered for now details of the account remain covered until revealed He claimed to have been published in the National Rifle Association's American Rifleman at 14, to have developed dyslexia in his mid teens and to have a history of mental illness and polysubstance abuse. the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it

Kayer constantly bragged about a gambling system that he said would defeat the Las Vegas casinos, but the couple never had enough money to try it. In November 1994 they visited Hoss at his home and persuaded him to put up money for a gambling trip. On 30 November 1994 the three drove to Nevada in Kayer's van, stopping first in Las Vegas before deciding that Laughlin was more their speed. They shared one hotel room. After the first night Kayer said he had won big and borrowed $100 from Hoss, then asked for a second $100. He lost both. Rather than admit it, he told Hoss that he had won a fortune and been robbed outside the casino.

On 2 December 1994 they left Laughlin to drive back to Arizona. Hoss spent much of the journey asking how Kayer would repay the $200. They stopped in Kingman, where Kayer took a handgun from under the van's seat and put it in his waistband. this part of the story is covered for now Kayer then left the main road, telling Hoss that he knew a shortcut through the woods near Camp Wood Road in Yavapai County. Near there Hoss got out to urinate. Kayer walked up behind him and shot him once behind the ear at point-blank range. Hoss fell into his own urine. Kayer dragged the body into the bushes, took his wallet, watch and jewellery, and drove on. Five minutes later he realised that he had forgotten Hoss's keys and turned back. details of the account remain covered until revealed

They drove to Hoss's home, let themselves in with his keys and stole several guns, a camera and anything else of value, but could not find his bank PIN. Over the following week they sold the guns and jewellery at pawn shops and flea markets under the aliases David Flynn and Sharon Hughes. They then took the proceeds to Las Vegas to try the gambling system again, paying for a room at the Pioneer Hotel.

On 3 December 1994 two couples drove into the forest in Yavapai County to cut Christmas trees and found Hoss's body beside a dirt road. He had been shot twice, with wounds behind each ear, and had no wallet or identification. the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it

On 12 December 1994 a Las Vegas police officer telephoned Yavapai County detective Danny Martin. this part of the story is covered for now She handed over a 32-calibre pistol that she said was the murder weapon and led officers to Hoss's credit cards inside Kayer's white van in the hotel car park. details of the account remain covered until revealed

On 13 December 1994 Yavapai County detectives flew to Las Vegas. the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it Kayer answered questions briefly and then invoked his Miranda rights and asked for a lawyer.

this part of the story is covered for now details of the account remain covered until revealed In February 1995 the state gave notice that it would seek the death penalty against both. the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it Ballistics matched the pistol to bullets and cartridge cases recovered from the scene.

this part of the story is covered for now details of the account remain covered until revealed James Bond was brought in as second chair, and in June 1996 Kayer successfully applied to replace Williamson with Bond as lead counsel. The court let Williamson withdraw, kept Bond as second chair and appointed David Staller, a 30-year veteran with more than 50 felony trials and several capital cases. In August 1996 Bond too withdrew and a lawyer with less than two years' experience was appointed alongside Staller. Dr Daniel Wasserman examined Kayer and found him competent, diagnosing dysthymic disorder but no mental illness or defect that would make him unfit. the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it

this part of the story is covered for now details of the account remain covered until revealed the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it

this part of the story is covered for now The judge found him competent to make that choice. details of the account remain covered until revealed The judge found two aggravating factors, a previous serious offence (the 1981 burglary) and murder for monetary gain, no statutory mitigating factors and only one non-statutory factor, his importance in one child's life. the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it

Kayer's mother died on 19 May 1999. this part of the story is covered for now details of the account remain covered until revealed the rest of this account is covered until you choose to reveal it this part of the story is covered for now details of the account remain covered until revealed