PHOENIX – A man who brutally murdered a young mother and abandoned her baby on the side of the road has been sentenced to natural life in prison. Antwaun Ware, 27, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder and endangerment in the 2018 killing of Jasmine Dunbar, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced today.
In March 2018, a couple driving near 83rd Avenue and Camelback Road discovered a 7-month-old baby left in a car seat on the side of the road, alongside Dunbar’s identification and personal belongings. The Phoenix Police Department was able to track down Dunbar’s family, who informed them that she had last been seen with Ware, the baby’s father, on the way to take a paternity test.
Investigators retraced Ware’s movements and found that he had driven to an isolated field near 107th Avenue and Camelback Road, where he killed Dunbar and set her body on fire before abandoning their baby miles away.
“This defendant’s callous actions have no place in our community,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Thanks to the hard work of my prosecutors, he will live the rest of his life behind bars. To the people who rescued this baby, I say ‘thank you.’ This child is alive today because of your heroic actions.”
Ware was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His guilty plea ensures that he will never be released from custody, bringing justice for Dunbar’s family and ensuring public safety.
