A Texas man who admitted to kidnapping, sexually assaulting and capturing an 18 yr previous was executed Wednesday night time – regardless of a psychiatrist’s change in testimony.
Ramiro Gonzalez, 41, was pronounced useless at 6.50pm native time following a deadly injection on the State Penitentiary in Huntsville for the killing of Bridget Townsend in 2001.
Her stays weren’t discovered till one yr later, when Gonzales led authorities to the spot in Southwest Texas the place he left her physique.
His dying Wednesday comes on Townsend’s birthday.
Ramiro Gonzales, 41, admitted to kidnapping, raping and fatally capturing Bridget Townsend, 18, in 2001
Townsend’s stays weren’t discovered till the next yr when Gonzalez led authorities to her physique
Within the moments earlier than he died, Gonzalez apologized to the sufferer’s household.
‘I can not put into phrases the ache I’ve brought on y’all, the harm, what I took away that I can’t give again,’ he stated. ‘I hope this apology is sufficient.’
‘I by no means stopped praying that you’d forgive me and that in the future I’d have this chance to apologize,’ he continued.
‘I owe all of you my life and I hope in the future you’ll forgive me.’
Gonzalez was then injected with a deadly dose of pentobarbital.
Because the drug took impact, he took seven breaths after which began making loud night breathing noises.
Inside lower than a minute, all motion stopped, and authorities pronounced him useless simply 24 minutes after he was injected with the drug.
Gonzalez was pronounced useless on the State Penitentiary in Huntsville on Wednesday
Gonzales was condemned for fatally capturing Townsend after stealing medicine and cash and kidnapping her in January 2001 from a house in Bandera County, situated northwest of San Antonio.
He took her to his household’s ranch in neighboring Medina County, the place he sexually assaulted her and killed her.
Townsend’s physique wouldn’t be discovered till October 2002, when Gonzalez led police to her stays after receiving two life sentences for kidnapping and raping one other lady.
As his execution date grew nearer, Gonzalez filed a flurry of appeals – arguing that he’s now not the identical troubled 18 yr previous who killed Townsend and is now not a menace to society.
His legal professionals famous that he has taken duty for what he did and {that a} prosecution professional witness now says he was unsuitable in testifying that Gonzales could be a future hazard to society – a authorized discovering wanted to impose a dying sentence.
They additional argued that the Texas Court docket of Felony Appeals violated his constitutional rights by declining to overview his claims {that a} prosecution professional, psychiatrist Edward Gripon, wrongly asserted Gonzales could be a future hazard.
After re-evaluating Gonzales in 2022, Gripon stated his prediction was unsuitable.
‘He has earnestly devoted himself to self-improvement, contemplation, and prayer, and has grown right into a mature, peaceable, form, loving, and deeply non secular grownup,’ Gonzales’ legal professionals wrote Monday of their petition for clemency.
‘He acknowledges his duty for his crimes and has sought to atone for them and to hunt redemption by way of his actions.’
A bunch of religion leaders additionally requested authorities to cease Gonzales’ execution.
However the Board of Pardons and Paroles voted 7-0 in opposition to staying the execution.
