Bio

Lawrence Keith Libberton was born on February 26, 1961. By November 1981, Libberton was 20 years old. Before Juan Maya’s murder, he had already been involved in criminal cases connected to attempted burglary and attempted theft.  At the time of the murder, Libberton was away from a Department of Corrections work-furlough program. He was not inside a prison or jail when the crime happened.

Libberton was connected to Steven James and 14-year-old Martin Norton, who lived in a mobile-home trailer in Phoenix. The available case details do not show that Libberton knew Juan Maya before the night of the crime. The attack began after Maya entered the trailer. The case later involved robbery, kidnapping, theft, and murder.

Murder Story

In the late hours of November 16, 1981, and the early morning of November 17, 1981, Juan Maya picked up 14-year-old Martin Norton, who was hitchhiking. Norton lived with Steven James in a Phoenix mobile-home trailer. According to the Arizona Supreme Court’s summary, Maya drove to the trailer, where Norton said Maya had made sexual advances toward him. Norton resisted and directed Maya into the trailer.

Inside the trailer were Steven James and Lawrence Keith Libberton. Norton told James that Maya was gay and told him to remove Maya from the trailer. James kicked Maya, and Maya ran out. James and Libberton chased him, brought him back, and the assault continued. Norton testified that Maya was bleeding from his nose and mouth after being returned to the trailer.

Back inside, Norton, James, and Libberton took turns hitting Maya in the face. Maya pleaded with them to take his car and credit cards and stop beating him. James took Maya’s wallet, while Libberton took the title to Maya’s car and forced Maya to sign it over to him. James also took Maya’s bracelet and ring. Libberton then put on Maya’s belt, which had Maya’s name on it, and made a statement about owning Maya’s car.

The three then discussed what to do with Maya while he was present. James said the only thing they could do was kill him, and Libberton agreed. James suggested hiding the body in a mine shaft on property owned by his parents near Salome, Arizona. Libberton again agreed, and Maya was forced at gunpoint into his own car. Libberton kept the gun pointed at Maya during the drive, which lasted about two hours.

During the drive, a police officer stopped the car for speeding. James got out and spoke with the officer. While this happened, Libberton threatened to shoot Maya if he said anything. After the stop ended, the group continued toward Salome.

Near daybreak, the group arrived at the property near the abandoned mine shaft. James ordered Maya to walk up toward the shaft. Maya was allowed to smoke a cigarette before the final assault. He pleaded for his life and screamed for them not to kill him. James fired at him from close range, but the gun malfunctioned because debris was in the barrel. Maya tried to fight back and struggled for the gun.

Libberton then picked up a five-pound rock and struck Maya on the back of the head and shoulders while Maya was still struggling. Norton handed Libberton a board, and Libberton struck Maya again. James and Libberton attempted to fire the gun again, but it continued to malfunction. Maya was still conscious and making sounds when the attackers used large rocks to strike the back of his head.

After Maya lost consciousness, Libberton and James dragged him to the mine shaft and threw him in. The group later returned to Phoenix. James told Norton to clean blood from the trailer. Later that morning, the attackers drove around in Maya’s car, and Libberton used one of Maya’s credit cards to buy shoes. Around noon, the three were captured when Libberton tried to get a $20 cash advance using Maya’s MasterCard.

Libberton was tried in Maricopa County. His trial began on June 23, 1982, and the verdict was reached on June 30, 1982. He was convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, and theft. On October 25, 1982, he was sentenced to death for the murder, along with prison terms for the other offenses.

The Arizona Supreme Court affirmed Libberton’s convictions and original death sentence in State v. Libberton, issued on April 23, 1984. The court found that the murder involved pecuniary gain and was committed in an especially cruel manner because Maya was held for hours, heard the discussion about killing him, was forced to the mine area, pleaded for his life, and was physically abused before death.

Libberton’s sentence later changed. His current Arizona Department of Corrections record lists him as an active inmate, admitted on November 3, 1982, with his first-degree murder sentence modified on March 9, 2011, to life, 25 years to life. His most recent listed location is La Palma, with active custody status as of March 10, 2026.