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Woman Accused In Tempe Mosque Vandalism Pleads Guilty

One of two Arizona women charged with burglarizing and defacing a Tempe mosque this past March has now changed her plea.

The incident drew international attention and condemnation as video showed Elizabeth Dauenhauer and Tahnee Gonzales spewing insults against Muslims, calling them devil worshipers and sexual deviants, while ripping books from shelves and fliers off the walls of the Islamic Community Center of Tempe.

The two women filmed themselves in the act, even posting it on Facebook.

After initially pleading not guilty, Dauenhauer decided to change her plea to guilty on charges of aggravated criminal damage. She’ll be sentenced next month.

Gonzales, who participated in the spree with her three children, faces additional youth endangerment charges and is still scheduled for trial in December.

Phil Latzman is an award-winning digital journalist and broadcast professional with over 25 years of experience covering news and sports on a multitude of platforms.