The widower of a top prosecutor in Arizona shot and killed his new girlfriend and her mother at a Christmas Eve party before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.
David De Nitto, who was married to Maricopa District Attorney Allister Adel until her death at age 45 on April 30, 2022.
After her death, the 47-year-old Wells Fargo financial advisor began dating Molly Domini-Cash, a local real estate agent in Phoenix.
At about 11:30 p.m. during a Christmas gathering with her family at a home near Central Avenue and Bethany Home Road, the relationship turned deadly. De Nitto got into a heated argument that raged until he grabbed a gun and shot Domini-Cash, 47, and her 83-year-old mother, Cynthia Domini, police said.
Both women were taken to hospital but died from their injuries, and De Nitto was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
David De Nitto was married to Maricopa District Attorney Allister Adel until her death at age 45 on April 30, 2022. They had two young sons (family pictured together).
De Nitto began dating Molly Domini-Cash, left, until he shot her and her mother, Cynthia Domini, right, at a Christmas Eve party, police said
A haunting photo shows all three at a family gathering in October, along with Domini-Cash's 26-year-old son and De Nitto and Adel's two young sons.
Adel and De Nitto's two sons are now orphans and have to deal with their father's heinous crimes.
“It is impossible to understand a tragedy like this.” “Words cannot adequately express the flood of grief,” said Adel's successor Rachel Mitchell.
“I ask the community to join me in praying for the families affected and especially for Allister’s children. I also ask that the community surround families with love and kindness.”
Domini-Cash was a real estate agent at North&Co and, like Adel, a passionate Arizona Cardinals fan whose son was a football star at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix.
A haunting photo shows all three at a family gathering in October, along with Domini-Cash's 26-year-old son and De Nitto and Adel's two young sons
Domini-Cash was a real estate agent at North&Co for almost four years before her murder
Cynthia Domini, 83, was shot and killed along with her daughter
Domini-Cash lost her oldest sister Lisa, a teacher, to cancer and a stroke in March, and her elderly father shortly before that.
“I don't know how we're going to get through this…I really have no idea…but I know we'll get through it the way you would want,” she wrote of her sister at the time.
De Nitto was named the 144th best wealth advisor in Arizona by Forbes in April. He specialized in estate and retirement planning.
Adel was hospitalized on election night 2020, where she underwent emergency surgery for a brain hemorrhage. Nine days earlier, she had fallen and hit her head, causing a blood clot in her brain that remained undetected at the time.
She was in the hospital for two months and underwent surgery for the second time in January 2021. She only returned to work in February.
Adel resigned amid criticism of her performance, including the dismissal of 180 misdemeanor cases because charges were not filed before the statute of limitations expired.
Domini-Cash lost her eldest sister Lisa (right), a teacher, to cancer and a stroke in March, and shortly before that she also lost her elderly father
Like Adel, Domini-Cash was a passionate Arizona Cardinals fan, whose son was a football star at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix
In October 2020, she also controversially filed charges against several Black Lives Matter protesters as gang members, only dropping the charges after a local news investigation.
Adel claimed her brain injury “impaired her ability to examine the case and understand the evidence behind the charges.”
In contrast, her office refused to charge police officers involved in the shooting of unarmed 28-year-old Dion Johnson a month earlier.
She was also examined to see whether a recognized alcohol problem had affected her ability to do work.
Adel admitted to her mental health struggles on September 10, 2021 and asked her constituents for patience as she tried to “improve herself.”
“I made the decision to seek treatment for my anxiety and to deal with unhealthy coping strategies such as eating disorders and alcohol use,” she said, saying that she tried to deal with these issues on her own but failed.
“I know that if I want my recovery to be successful, I need to be honest and hold myself accountable.”
Adel was hospitalized on election night 2020, where she underwent emergency surgery for a brain hemorrhage
De Nitto hugs his wife after she was appointed district attorney in 2019
“I have a challenging journey ahead of me to do better and be better for my friends, family, co-workers, this community and ultimately for myself.” I hope you find it in your heart to give me the opportunity give.
“None of us are born perfect and life brings unexpected challenges.” We all face obstacles in life and that is what makes us human.
“I admit that I am far from perfect. For most, this is a personal journey, but as an elected official, I know I will be held to a different standard.”
The previous month she had checked herself into a rehab facility in California for the same problems, but admitted she had suffered two more alcohol relapses.
Adel faced calls for her resignation, which she resisted for months until she finally resigned in March 2022 and died the following month.
This came after five of her top prosecutors wrote a letter calling for her resignation and which “raised ethical questions about her sobriety, long absences from work and her judgment.”
Adel's cause of death was never revealed and her family only stated that she died of unspecified “health complications.”