An Arizona man, 36-year-old Stephen Dennis, has been sentenced for the murder of his wife, Aliccia Grant. Grant, who was stabbed to death at a Home Depot parking lot, used her last words to identify her killer.
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According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Dennis was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Earlier this year, he had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with his wife’s stabbing death.
“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. “There is something especially cruel about a murder that takes place within a relationship that’s intended to be built on trust.”
“We will continue to aggressively pursue and hold violent domestic abusers accountable.”
Fatal Stabbing
Back on September 9, 2024, Phoenix Police Department officers responded to a stabbing report at a north Phoenix Home Depot. Witnesses had come across a screaming woman in a red Prius, who had suffered multiple stab wounds. While she lay in the driver’s seat, Dennis was in the front passenger seat.
Police learned from witnesses that Dennis exited the vehicle, argued with a bystander, and then fled the scene on foot, taking a bag from the car with him. Meanwhile, witnesses rendered aid to Grant while first responders were on their way.
Upon arrival, one of the officers began applying pressure to Grant’s wounds. The woman, however, in her last moments, revealed the identity of the stabber to the officer: his newlywed husband, Stephen Dennis,
Shortly after the revelations, Dennis called 911, admitted to the stabbing, and pointed toward the murder weapon’s location. He would then explain that he had recently married Grant and, at the time of the incident, they were discussing an annulment.
A GoFundMe was set up to support Grant’s children, ages 9 and 15.
“Aliccia saw no dream as too big,” the fundraiser read. “She chased hers with open eyes and a full heart. She was a self-made entrepreneur, cosmetologist, author, and model. Her story is one of perseverance and the power of believing in yourself.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org or by texting “START” to 88788.