Aaron Brian Gunches was born on June 30, 1971. He grew up in the United States. Information about his early life, including his family background, childhood experiences, and education, is limited. Details about where he lived or his relationships during his youth are not widely documented.

On November 14, 2002, Aaron Gunches went to his girlfriend's home in Mesa, Arizona. When he arrived, he found that she had an argument with her ex-husband, Ted Price. Price was injured and lying on the floor. Gunches and his girlfriend's roommates helped put Price into his car, claiming they would take him to a bus station. However, Gunches realized he had no money for a ticket. Instead, he drove Price into the desert off the Beeline Highway. After they stopped, Gunches shot Price four times, killing him.

On January 15, 2003, during a routine traffic stop, Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer Robert Flannery pulled over Gunches. Gunches shot Flannery twice and then fled. Flannery survived the shooting. A large manhunt was conducted, and the next day, Gunches was found hiding in a haystack in Wenden, Arizona. He was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder.

In 2004, Gunches pled guilty to the murder of Ted Price. Four years later, in 2008, he was sentenced to death. In November 2022, Gunches asked the Arizona Supreme Court to issue his execution warrant. The Arizona Attorney General supported his request. However, in January 2023, Gunches withdrew his request, stating that recent executions were "torture."

On January 20, 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs ordered a review of the state’s death penalty procedures. In March 2023, the court issued a warrant for his execution, scheduled for April 6, 2023. Governor Hobbs stated that the warrant allowed for the execution but did not require it to happen immediately.

Karen Price, Ted Price's sister, filed a petition asking the court to ensure the execution took place. The Maricopa County Attorney supported her petition. However, Governor Hobbs indicated that the state was not ready to carry out the execution properly. The Arizona Supreme Court ultimately denied the request to extend the warrant, which then expired in April 2023.

On June 5, 2024, another request for Gunches' execution warrant was made by Maricopa County. The Attorney General moved to dismiss this request. The Arizona Supreme Court set a timeline for further discussions, concluding in August 2024.