Arizona man sentenced to 48+ years in prison for 2023 murders

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — An aspiring gang member will spend decades behind bars for killing two people last year.

On Wednesday, Maricopa Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that 27-year-old Timothy Moses Bernal was sentenced to 48.75 years in prison for the shooting deaths of Chad Munoz and Austen Mole in 2023.

"Ridding our streets of gang activity is what our Gang Bureau prosecutors aim for every single day here at MCAO," said Mitchell. "When we imprison those who kill with no regard for human life, we're doing what I've promised: keeping every community safe."

Bernal pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and violating probation.

Mitchell said that in May 2023, Bernal shot and killed Munoz, a former Mexican Mafia member who was in "bad standing," to gain membership in the gang. He then told others to dispose of the body.

While investigating, authorities discovered that Bernal was connected to a shooting in 2023, where he shot and killed Mole after a dispute over a gun deal. Mole's body was found at the bottom of a canal.

Mitchell says Bernal committed both murders while on probation for an aggravated assault in 2015.

A booking photo for Bernal was not immediately available.