Texas Man on Death Row Finally Executed; He Kidnapped; Raped and Killed 18-year-old Women: Prosecutors
Texas death row inmate Ramiro Gonzales was executed by lethal injection on Wednesday, despite multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. Gonzales was convicted for the heinous crimes of murder and rape of a teenage woman in 2001.
Tragically, Gonzales passed away at 6:50 p.m. after receiving a chemical injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. After confessing to the murder of 18-year-old Bridget Townsend, a young woman from southwest Texas who had been missing since 2001, his execution has been carried out.
Gonzales expressed his apologies to the victim’s family in a statement issued by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, while he was in the execution chamber.
Townsend, tragically taken from her home in January 2001, was a victim of a heinous crime. She was subjected to a horrific ordeal at the hands of Gonzales, which ultimately led to her untimely passing.
In October 2002, her body was discovered in southwest Texas, after Gonzales directed authorities to her remains. This occurred after he had already been sentenced to two life terms for the kidnapping and rape of another woman.
Gonzales’ attorneys, Thea Posel and Raoul Schonemann, had previously submitted requests to the board, seeking a reduction in his death sentence to a more lenient penalty.
In a recent development, a coalition of 11 evangelical leaders, hailing from Texas and various parts of the nation, have made a heartfelt plea to the parole board and Gov. Greg Abbott. Their request is to put a stop to the impending execution and instead consider granting clemency.
On Monday, the parole board unanimously rejected the request to change Gonzales’ death sentence to a lesser penalty. Fox News also reported that the members also voted against giving him a six-month reprieve.
