Month: February 2026

Jailene Aguilera

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) has issued a notification regarding a Level 3 sex offender in the Yuma community.

YCSO says 64-year-old Grover Broadhead told them he was residing in the area of S. Carlota Avenue, off Highway 95, in Yuma County.

He is described by YCSO as five-feet, eight-inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, has blonde hair and blue eyes and is not wanted by YCSO at this time.

In October of 1992, YCSO says Broadhead pled guilty to one count of first-degree child molestation in the Benson County Superior Court in Kennewick, Washington.

He was sentenced to five years at the Washington Department of Corrections, with a credit for 132 days served, according to YCSO.

In July of 2006, Broadhead pleaded guilty to one count of attempted failure to give notice of change of address or change of name in the Pima County Superior Court in Tucson, Arizona, YCSO says.

Broadhead was sentenced to serve three years of probation, YCSO says.

In November of 2024, YCSO says Broadhead pled guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender in the Yuma County Superior Court, and he was sentenced to 1.5 years at the Arizona Department of Corrections, with a credit for 103 days served.

Broadhead is considered by YCSO as a Level 3 sex offender with a high risk to reoffend.

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Paul Vozzella

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The sudden loss of a loved one to murder is a trauma few can fully comprehend without experiencing it firsthand.

For families of murder victims, grief is compounded by an often lengthy and emotionally taxing legal process, one that can reopen wounds repeatedly before any sense of closure is reached.

For survivors of murder victims, the pursuit of justice involves far more than mourning a devastating loss. Court appearances, hearings, and procedural delays can stretch on for months or even years.

“You have to keep going back to the court, and it’s just all re-opened up, and you can’t heal,” said Genia Sims, whose 23-year-old grandson, Jacob Sims, was murdered in November 2024.

Under constitutional law, defendants are guaranteed the right to a speedy trial.

In California, felony cases generally move to trial within 60 days of arraignment, though the timeline can vary based on circumstances. In Arizona, the timeline differs.

“The state has 270 days on a first-degree murder charge to get the defendant to trial, so that’s nine months,” explained Karolyn Kaczorowski, Yuma County Attorney. “As you know, many murder prosecutions take more than that.”

Delays may occur for a variety of reasons, often to protect the rights of the defendant. As a result, trials can take years to reach resolution, an especially long journey for grieving families.

When asked how enduring the court process has affected her, Sims responded candidly: “We don’t get any peace. It’s like Sim’s death happens every day. It’s just repeating. You can’t move forward.”

While the legal system can feel overwhelming, victims’ rights advocates work to support families throughout the process.

Esther Juarez-Martinez, a crime victim advocate supervisor, described her office’s role as guiding survivors from the earliest court appearances through sentencing.

“Our role is to bring clarity to the process and make sure they feel supported every step of the way,” Juarez-Martinez said. “We are involved from the initial appearance, the 24-hour hearing, all the way through sentencing. We also connect them with resources outside the courtroom.”

For the Sims family, that advocacy has proven crucial. During court proceedings in California, they were at one point asked to turn their “Justice for Jacob” shirts inside out before entering the courtroom.

“They want us to remove our shirt and turn it inside out before we can go into the courtroom,” Sims said. “There’s no laws or rules there for that courthouse saying that we cannot wear our ‘Justice for Jacob’ shirts.”

A victims’ advocate reviewed courthouse policies and confirmed the family was permitted to wear the shirts.

“Us wearing our T-shirt…Our ‘Justice for Jacob’ shirt…we’re Jacob’s voice,” Sims said. “Jacob doesn’t have his voice anymore.”

Although the Sims’ court case is unfolding in California, the family remains part of the Yuma community. Local efforts to remember victims of violent crime include the city’s annual murder vigil, led last year by keynote speaker Councilmember Mark Martinez.

“That event did make you feel like people care,” Sims said. “They care about you, your family, and, of course, Jacob.”

Martinez emphasized the importance of shared experiences during the healing process.

“When families see other people going through the process or see other families feeling the same pain, it doesn’t necessarily make it better,” Martinez said. “But it makes it normal. It makes it okay to feel what they’re feeling.”

Even with community support, healing often hinges on the progression of the legal case. Yet what justice looks like can vary significantly among survivors.

“Justice looks different for everybody,” Kaczorowski said. “My idea of justice may not be theirs. There are people who would trade a long time in prison just to hear the defendant admit that he did what she said he did.”

For Sims, the focus remains on taking the next step.

“I think once this preliminary hearing is over, we can at least take a little bit of a breath,” she said. “Have a little bit of peace in knowing the trial is coming, and then justice is going to be served for Jacob.”

The legal process is rarely easy nor quick. But for surviving families, the goal remains constant: To see justice carried out in a court of law.

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Paul Vozzella

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – Four defendants returned to court Thursday afternoon in El Centro for the second day of a preliminary hearing in the murder case of 23-year-old Jacob Sims, a Yuma man whose remains were discovered in a firepit in Winterhaven.

Proceedings were held at the El Centro Courthouse, where prosecutors continued presenting evidence as the court determines whether there is sufficient cause to move the case to trial.

Gabriel Mills Sr., Gabriel Mills Jr., Sadie Hiatt, and Daniel Gavino Martinez appeared alongside their respective defense attorneys. Each defendant is represented by separate counsel, underscoring that legal arguments and strategies are being handled individually rather than collectively.

Mario Vela, defense counsel for Sadie Hiatt, emphasized that his focus remains solely on his client.

“This is an extremely serious and sensitive case, and we are carefully examining all the evidence that the prosecution is putting forward as of now,” Vela said. “I am exclusively focusing on my client and making sure that her constitutional rights are protected in this very, very serious case.”

Thursday’s hearing began with the continued cross-examination of a witness identified as the ex-girlfriend of Gabriel Mills Sr.

She testified that on the day of the crime, she observed smoke coming from a location different from the firepit where Sims’ body was ultimately found while she was at the property.

The second witness called to the stand was an investigator with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigator testified that during questioning, Gabriel Mills Jr. initially denied being at the property in Winterhaven but later recanted and admitted that he had been there.

According to the investigator, Mills Jr. also first denied knowing Sims before later referring to him as a “homie.”

The investigator further testified that Mills Jr. nodded his head “yes” when asked whether Sadie Hiatt was involved. This was during the questioning being audio-recorded.

In a statement that claims otherwise, the testifying investigator also stated that while questioning another witness at the scene of the crime, the witness said there was no other woman present.

With the evidence, Vela declined to comment beyond what was presented in court.

As for the Sims family, emotions ran high during the proceedings when a photograph of Sims was displayed as part of the testimony. Several members of the family left the courtroom to compose themselves.

“It makes it real, and I don’t want it to be real,” said Genia Sims, Sims’ grandmother. “I thought I couldn’t breathe. I just couldn’t breathe.”

With multiple witnesses still scheduled to testify, additional evidence is expected to be presented in the coming days.

“We are eager to see all evidence that the prosecution has against my client,” Vela said, “…and we remain committed to ensure that her constitutional rights are protected and that she deserves a fair defense.”

The preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume Friday morning and is expected to continue through at least Monday as the court weighs whether the case will proceed to trial.

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Oswaldo Rivas

From El Centro to New York, “Luckie Charlie” recognized Worldwide

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Paul Vozzella

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The preliminary hearing in the murder case of Jacob Sims resumed Friday morning at the El Centro Courthouse, marking the third day of proceedings in a case that has drawn significant attention from the local community.

Defendants, defense counsel, prosecutors and members of the Sims family were present as testimony continued.

Although the hearing has extended longer than initially anticipated, family members expressed confidence in the prosecution’s efforts.

“It’s hard,” said Genia Sims, the victim’s grandmother. “These testimonies just drag on and on. But I think the prosecution is doing very well.”

Much of Friday’s session centered on testimony from a resident of the home where Jacob Sims’ body was discovered. The witness, the seventh individual to take the stand in the preliminary hearing, testified under a grant of immunity.

During her testimony, the witness stated that she extinguished a fire at the location where Sims’ body was later found, explaining that her intent was to prevent the flames from spreading. She further testified that she did not know if there was anything burning in the fire and had no knowledge of who started it.

Genia Sims expressed skepticism regarding how much information the witnesses are sharing.

“I just feel like they know more than what they’re saying,” she said. “If this was their family member, they would want the truth.”

Family members also recounted how they felt after Gabriel Mills Sr. and Gabriel Mills Jr. were seen laughing during Friday’s witness testifying.

“It disgusts me to no end,” Sims said. “If they think this is a big joke, sitting in the courtroom with smirks and smiles and laughing, it’s sickening.”

The preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume Monday morning.

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Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to a hotel fire Saturday morning.

According to a press release, the fire happened at around 8:00 a.m. at Econo Lodge, located in the area of S. Arizona Avenue and E. 16th Street.

Upon arrival, YFD says crews found smoke coming from a hotel room on the second floor, prompting crews to quickly find a “room and contents fire” and conduct an “aggressive interior fire attack.”

YFD says the fire was extinguished, limiting damage to the room of origin, but there was smoke damage in the adjoining room, with management being able to relocate guests to other rooms within the hotel.

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

While there were no injuries reported, YFD says crews will remain on scene to conduct a fire watch throughout the evening as a precaution.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Press Release EconoDownload

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Marcos Icahuate

SAN DIEGO (KYMA) – Rene “La Rana” Arzate-Garcia was indicted in connection to the Sinaloa Cartel.

Arzate-Garcia was charged with the following:

Narcoterrorism

Conducting a criminal enterprise

Material support to a foreign terrorist organization

International drug trafficking

Money laundering

“Foreign terrorist organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel have spent decades poisoning our children and committing acts of unimaginable violence against innocent civilians — no longer under President Trump,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest indictment, which follows the landmark conviction of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder ‘El Mayo’ on American soil, is a key development in this Department of Justice’s ongoing campaign to permanently dismantle these cartels and deliver American justice to their cowardly leaders.”

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