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Chandler, Ariz. — In a groundbreaking legal move, a family utilized artificial intelligence to allow a murder victim to deliver his own impact statement. Stacey Wales, sister of Christopher Pelkey, who was tragically killed in a road rage incident in 2021, spearheaded the effort.
Wales had been preparing her statement for two years, since the initial trial in 2023 (the case was retried in 2025 due to procedural issues). Overwhelmed with emotion, she found herself channeling her brother’s voice. This sparked an unprecedented idea: to use AI to create a video of Pelkey addressing the court and his killer.
Experts believe this is the first instance in the US where AI has been used to create a victim impact statement delivered by a digital representation of the deceased. Wales and her family, with the help of business partners, painstakingly constructed the video using limited audio and video recordings of Pelkey. The process involved digitally altering a funeral photo and carefully recreating his laugh.
The video, played at Thursday’s sentencing hearing, began with the AI-generated image of Pelkey acknowledging his digital presence. He expressed gratitude to those who supported his family and then addressed his killer, Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, with a message of forgiveness.
The video concluded with a heartwarming message of love and a final, “Well, I’m gonna go fishing now. Love you all.
See you on the other side.”
Judge Todd Lang expressed his appreciation for the video, noting the family’s willingness to allow Pelkey’s message of forgiveness to be heard, even while seeking the maximum sentence. Horcasitas received a 10.5-year sentence for manslaughter.
For Wales and her family, the experience was profoundly cathartic. Her teenage son heard a final goodbye from his uncle, and Wales found the strength to revisit cherished photos. The act of recreating her brother’s voice and likeness became an unexpected part of their healing journey.
This unique use of AI in court has raised questions about the future role of technology in legal proceedings. While experts acknowledge the potential ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated content, they recognize this instance as a comparatively benign application.
Wales herself cautions others considering similar actions to proceed with integrity and avoid selfish motivations. This case stands as a poignant example of how technology can offer new avenues for closure and healing in the face of tragedy.