Ex-Palo Verde teacher, coach accused of sexual abuse makes guilty plea

A former Palo Verde High School teacher and coach accused of sexually abusing multiple children has made a guilty plea.

Michael “Luke” Atwell, 73, admitted to one count each of sexual assault of a child under 14 and lewdness with a child under 14. The sexual assault charge carries a 35-year minimum prison sentence, according to Jess Marchese, his defense attorney. It’s not clear which victims were named in the counts to which he pleaded guilty.

“He’s going to die in prison,” Marchese said.

Atwell pleaded guilty Wednesday. He had been charged with sexually abusing four children, but Chief Deputy District Attorney Peter Thunell has said there were additional victims whose allegations could not be pursued due to the statute of limitations.

The prosecutor said everyone was pleased with the resolution.

Marchese said he told his client not to accept the plea deal, but Atwell overrode his advice. Atwell didn’t want to force the victims to testify, the lawyer said.

The plea deal came about after prosecutors accused him of abusing the third and fourth victims. Atwell was recorded giving a “confession,” Marchese said previously, making it more difficult to defend him.

“He has now made admissions about what he’s done to these two young victims and talked about how he’s sick, how he’s got this problem for all these years,” Thunell told the court at the time.

Atwell was arrested at Palo Verde on Nov. 19. In a message to families that did not name Atwell or disclose that he was accused of sexual assault, Principal Lisa Schumacher said a volunteer coach was arrested on suspicion of “inappropriate contact with a minor” and had been terminated.

He previously taught history, criminal justice and social studies and coached boys cross country and girls softball at Palo Verde. State records indicate he also taught at Becker Middle School between 1999 and 2003.

Atwell also had a distinguished military career, serving during the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm and earning a Bronze Star, according to previous Review-Journal coverage.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.