May 04 2012
J. T. Ready Murder/Suicide Raises Questions Around Domestic Violence & Right Wing Politics
The murder/suicide that left 5 people dead in Gilbert, Arizona on Wednesday was carried out by a man infamous for espousing neo-Nazi beliefs and founding a border patrol militia. The shooter, Jason Todd Ready, aka JT Ready, was profiled as a “nativist leader” in 2008 by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which cited him as advocating for violence on the border as a way to stop unauthorized immigration. Ready is quoted as saying, “I firmly believe in having a minefield across the border. This is 100% effective.”
Ready, who reportedly stockpiled weapons, formed the vigilante militia, US Border Guard, and appeared at neo-Nazi gatherings for the National Socialist Movement, but he also engaged in mainstream political efforts, including an unsuccessful run for the Mesa City Council in 2006. At the time of his death he was running for Pinal County Sheriff. His extreme views were known to many within and outside of Arizona but hidden from most was his violent nature behind closed doors. On Wednesday, before turning the gun on himself, J.T. Ready shot and killed his girlfriend Lisa Maderos, her 23 year old daughter Amber along with the young woman’s 24 year old fiance, and Amber’s 16 month old baby girl. Three generations of one family died in a horrific case of domestic violence that did not take those close to the family completely by surprise. Friends of Lisa Maderos and her daughters say JT Ready moved into the family home after losing his job, and they told the Arizona Republic that he was “cruel and controlling.” Maderos had called police once before Wednesday to report that Ready had choked her, and two women had filed police reports against him in the past.
As many struggle to make sense of the tragedy others are trying to distance themselves from Ready, perhaps none more strenuously than ex Arizona state Senate President Russell Pearce, architect of the controversial immigration law SB 1070. Before 2008 Pearce and Ready were political allies. The ex-state Senator eventually disavowed Ready as a racist but their former friendship is back to haunt the recalled politician.
GUESTS: Connie Phillips, Executive Director of the Sojourner Center in Arizona, a domestic violence shelter; Stephen Lemons, a reporter with the Phoenix New Times
Visit www.sojournercenter.org for more information about the Arizona Domestic Violence shelter.
Click here to read Steven Lemons’ piece on Russell Pearce and JT Ready.
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