Christopher Pelkey was killed in a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona in 2021, but last month, artificial intelligence brought him back to life during his killer’s sentencing hearing.

It was the first time in Arizona judicial history — and possibly nationwide — that AI has been used to create a deceased victim’s own impact statement.

Pelkey’s sister and brother-in-law used the technology to recreate his image and voice likeness to “talk” to the courtroom about his life and the day he met Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, who shot him during a confrontation near Gilbert and Germann roads.

“In another life, we probably could have been friends,” the AI creation of the 37-year-old Army veteran said, addressing Horcasitas. “I believe in forgiveness…”

The AI video also included real video clips from videos taken while he was alive, along with some of his personality and humor, while showing a real photo he once took with an "old age" filter.

"This is the best I can ever give you of what I would have looked like if I got the chance to grow old," the AI version of Pelkey said. "Remember, getting old is a gift that not everybody has, so embrace it and stop worrying about those wrinkles."

Stacey Wales, Pelkey's sister, said everyone who knew Pelkey "agreed this capture was a true representation of the spirit and soul of how Chris would have thought about his own sentencing as a murder victim."

Family said the judge was so moved by the powerful video that he even referred to it in his closing statements at sentencing, handing down the maximum 10.5-year prison sentence for Horcasitas.

Pelkey’s family sought justice and found some peace in the process, especially seeing how one of Stacey’s children reacted to seeing their Uncle Chris one more time.

”'Mom and Dad, thank you so much for making that. I needed to hear from Uncle Chris one last time. And that meant so much, thank you.' That is not what this is intended to do. The result of it having it be a healing piece for anybody who saw it was just a beneficial result,” said Stacey.

Chief Justice Timmer offered the following response about the use of AI:

"AI has the potential to create great efficiencies in the justice system and may assist those unschooled in the law to better present their positions. For that reason, we are excited about AI’s potential.  But AI can also hinder or even upend justice if inappropriately used. A measured approach is best. Along those lines, the court has formed an AI committee to examine AI use and make recommendations for how best to use it.  At bottom, those who use AI—including courts—are responsible for its accuracy."

This story was originally published by Jordan Bontke and Ashley Loose with the Scripps News Group in Phoenix.