Tyler Moldovan: Man sentenced to two life terms in shooting of Phoenix police officer

PHOENIX - The man convicted of shooting a Phoenix police officer eight times was handed to two life sentences on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Essa Williams was found guilty of attempted homicide and aggravated assault back in August. The life sentences include the possibility of parole after 25 years.

The Shooting of Tyler Moldovan:

In December 2021, Moldovan and his partner, Zach Johnson, responded to a call about a car doing donuts near 19th Avenue and Camelback Road. The two were searching in a nearby apartment complex when Moldovan was shot eight times, including once in the head.

Moldovan, who was 22 years old at the time, had only been on the force for nine months at the time. He survived but sustained serious injuries.

Moldovan has made a few public appearances in the years since the shooting, including throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Arizona Diamondbacks home opener in 2023, and again during the World Series at Chase Field later that year.

An emotional sentencing:

This was a very emotional sentencing, with several family members and police officers speaking out about the ways this shooting forever altered their lives.

All the victim impact statements focused on the physical and mental toll felt over the past five years, as Moldovan has undergone dozens of operations and more than half a dozen rehab programs. Moldovan did use a walker in court.

Moldovan’s parents, along with the parents of his wife Chelsea, spoke about the toll the shooting took on the young couple’s new marriage, with Chelsea taking on the role of nurse and caretaker as well as wife.

Moldovan’s mother did express forgiveness toward Williams, but the overall message was that the consequences needed to match the actions that nearly took Moldovan’s life.

During these statements, Williams shook his head and grinned several times.

"Everything from my vision and my hearing to my sensation and balance, not one part of me was left unaffected. The burdens are so heavy. The problems are so big," Moldovan said during sentencing.

"I spent our first Christmas married sleeping on a recliner in the ICE. I spent our first wedding anniversary in Denver," Chelsea said.

"I forgive you"

"I forgive you. We forgive you. We do not hate you, not because what you did was acceptable; it was not. Not because the pain is gone; it is not. Not because there shouldn't be consequences; there must be. I forgive you because God, who saved my son's life, is also the God who taught us to forgive," Adina Moldovan, Tyler's mother, said.

Williams, during a nearly 20-minute speech, told the judge he acted out of fear and self-defense.

"I was never gonna make it home, not because of what I willingly or intentionally did, but because of what was forced on to me," Williams said.

Before handing down the sentencing, Judge Sam Myers said he doesn't remember the witnesses from many cases he tries due to the nature of the job. But he says he knows all the witnesses involved in this case and was moved by the officers' commitment to the community — and to each other.

What they're saying:

Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) President Darrell Kriplean released the following statement regarding Williams' sentence.

"Today, justice was finally served for Phoenix Police Officer Tyler Moldovan and his family. The coward who viciously shot Officer Moldovan leaving him fighting for his life, will no longer be able to terrorize our community and inflict harm to others.

Officer Moldovan went to work that night in 2021 to do the same thing Phoenix police officers do every day, to protect people he had never met, knowing there was always a chance he might be called upon to put himself in harm’s way.  His life was forever changed. His family's life was forever changed. Tyler and his wife, Chelsea, have had to build a life around injuries that were inflicted upon him in a matter of seconds.

Every officer understands the potential danger when they put on the uniform. But accepting the risks of this job does not make an officer's life worth less. It does not make violence against an officer something society should simply accept as part of the profession.

When someone attempts to murder a police officer for doing his or her job, the consequences should reflect the seriousness of that act. This sentence sends an important message: attempting to murder an officer who is protecting this community carries the most serious consequences our justice system allows.

Through everything that has happened, Tyler continues to represent what is best about this profession. His strength and determination to keep moving forward have inspired officers throughout Phoenix and far beyond our city."

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and Phoenix Police Chief Matthew Giordano released statements on the sentence.

"I will never forget the day Officer Moldovan was nearly killed, as I was one of the prosecutors who responded to the scene that early morning. Etched in my memory is the state in which Officer Moldovan was left after being riddled with bullets," said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. "Officer Moldovan’s recovery is a miracle and due in great part to the doctors and nurses, and of course, his family and friends who have stood by his side throughout the last five years. As to prosecutors Linda Garcia and Evelyn Hernandez and their team, their selfless work toward achieving justice is exemplary and deserving of the highest recognition."

"On December 14, 2021, Tyler and Zach’s lives changed forever. The violent, unprovoked attack on Tyler, who was just 22 years old, nearly took his life. Today, the man responsible is finally facing the consequences of his actions, and justice has been served," said Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano. "I am grateful for the dedication of the prosecutors, detectives, and everyone who stood by Tyler throughout this journey. But accountability alone cannot make Tyler whole or erase the impact of that day on those who were there or those who helped him get to where he is now. Any moment and any day can change our lives. Our profession reminds us of the sacrifices we make—and the sacrifices we are willing to give—each time we put on this uniform and badge."

Map of where Moldovan was shot:

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