Arizona Appeals Court Vacates Sentence Over AI-Generated Victim Video

The Arizona Court of Appeals on September 30, 2026 vacated Gabriel Paul Horcasitas' 10½-year manslaughter sentence after Judge Todd Lang relied on an AI-generated video of victim Christopher Pelkey speaking forgiveness, created by Pelkey's sister. The court ruled the synthetic material was unreliable and ordered a new sentencing hearing.

• Arizona appeals court vacates 10½-year manslaughter sentence
• Judge Todd Lang called the AI-generated forgiveness video genuine
• Victim's sister created the video with a synthetic voice and imagined words
• Resentencing ordered without AI material; conviction stands