Life in prison for Hells Angels member; two co-defendants get 10+ years
Hells Angels member sentenced to life for Phoenix murder
A Hells Angels member has been locked up for life in connection with the 2021, gang-motivated killing of Richard Coss in Phoenix. Two others who pleaded guilty in the case will serve sentences of 16 years and 10 1/2 years.
PHOENIX - A member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has been sentenced to life in prison for a gang-motivated murder in Phoenix in December 2021.
What we know:
Keith McCollough was convicted of killing 25-year-old Richard Coss near 23rd Avenue and Deer Valley Road in Phoenix.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, McCollough and two other armed men forced their way into an apartment. During the confrontation, Coss was shot and killed.
3 arrested after man shot, killed in Phoenix: police
The Phoenix Police Department says two men have been arrested in connection to the shooting death of another man during an early morning fight on Dec. 18 after an alleged altercation with a female neighbor.
DNA evidence found at the scene linked McCollough to the crime, which prosecutors said was carried out in retaliation under the Hells Angels name.
Two other co-defendants pleaded guilty in the case. Jimmy Eslinger is serving a 16-year prison sentence, and Carl Blazak is serving 10 1/2 years.
Carl Blazak, Keith McCollough, and Jimmy Eslinger
What they're saying:
"The Hells Angels want to rule through fear," Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. "In Maricopa County, we do not bow to intimidation or outlaw motorcycle gangs. This sentence sends a clear message that organized criminal violence will be met with organized justice. I am proud of the prosecutors, detectives, and especially the witnesses who stood strong against a culture of fear and helped bring the truth to light."
What you can do:
Click here for more information on this story from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.