On Wednesday, Texas death row inmate Ramiro Gonzales was executed by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. Gonzales was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. following a chemical injection. This execution came after numerous appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court for the 2001 murder and rape of 18-year-old Bridget Townsend.
Gonzales admitted to fatally shooting Townsend, whose remains were found nearly two years after she vanished in 2001. In a statement released by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Gonzales apologized to the victim’s family from the execution chamber, expressing remorse for the pain and hurt he caused.
Townsend, who was kidnapped from her home in January 2001, was sexually assaulted by Gonzales before he murdered her. Her body was discovered in October 2002 after Gonzales led authorities to her remains in southwest Texas.
Following the execution, Townsend’s brother, David, stated that the day marked the end of a long and painful journey for their family. While acknowledging that Gonzales’ death provided some peace, David emphasized that it was a sad day for everyone involved.
Gonzales’ attorneys had requested a change in his death sentence to a lesser penalty, citing his self-improvement, contemplation, and seeking of redemption. Despite these pleas, the parole board voted 7-0 against commuting Gonzales’ sentence or granting a reprieve.
This execution was the second in Texas and the eighth in the U.S. this year. In a separate case, Oklahoma is scheduled to execute Richard Rojem for the 1984 abduction, rape, and killing of a 7-year-old girl on Thursday.
