An Arizona husband will serve nearly two decades in prison after stabbing his new wife to death over an annulment.
Stephen Dennis, 38, received an 18-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Aliccia Grant, 37, in Phoenix. According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, police responded to a Home Depot in north Phoenix early on September 9.
Witnesses reported hearing a woman, later identified as Grant, screaming for help. They discovered her in the driver’s seat of a red Toyota Prius, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Dennis was in the passenger seat and got out of the car before arguing with a bystander, grabbing a bag, and running.
As the first officers to arrive applied pressure to Grant’s wounds, she “made a dying declaration to him identifying Dennis as her attacker,” according to prosecutors.
Paramedics rushed Grant to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Dennis called 911 shortly after the incident, reporting that he had stabbed his wife. He also told cops where they could find the murder weapon, which they eventually recovered.
Dennis later told prosecutors that the couple had recently married and were arguing about an annulment at the time of the stabbing.
“This wasn’t just a violent crime—it was an act of betrayal carried out by someone who should have been a source of safety, not fear,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement. “There is something particularly cruel about a murder that occurs within a relationship that is supposed to be based on trust. We will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute violent domestic abusers.
Grant leaves behind two children. Her friends remembered her for her “endlessly hopeful energy,” according to a GoFundMe page.
“Aliccia considered no dream too big. She pursued hers with wide eyes and a full heart. She was a self-made business owner, cosmetologist, author, and model. “Her story is about perseverance and the power of believing in yourself,” the account reads.
