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A Texas man who was found guilty of the brutal murder of a young mother over two decades ago was executed on Wednesday evening. Moises Sandoval Mendoza received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville and was pronounced dead at 6:40 PM, according to officials. His execution was a consequence of the March 2004 murder of Rachelle O’Neil Tolleson, who was just 20 years old when she lost her life.
Before the execution, Mendoza spent time with a spiritual adviser who prayed for him. In his final moments, he expressed remorse to Tolleson’s family, addressing them personally and stating, “I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle’s life.” This acknowledgment came as he looked toward the victim’s parents, two brothers, a cousin, and an uncle who were observing from an adjoining room. Mendoza further lamented the impact his actions had on Tolleson’s daughter, who was not present at the execution, insisting, “I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that.”
In a separate emotional exchange, he spoke in Spanish to his loved ones, assuring them of his well-being and peace, saying, “I love you, I am with you, I am well and at peace.” His final moments included audible gasps and snores as the lethal injection took effect, with authorities reporting he ceased all movement 19 minutes later.
The tragic case dates back to Mendoza’s abduction of Tolleson from her home in North Texas, leaving her 6-month-old daughter alone. The infant was discovered safe the following day by Tolleson’s mother, while Rachelle’s body was found six days later in a field near a creek. Investigation revealed that Mendoza had attempted to destroy evidence by burning Tolleson’s body, with forensic dental records used for identification.
On the day of the execution, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a last-minute request from Mendoza’s lawyers to intervene. Previous attempts to halt the execution by lower courts had failed, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had declined Mendoza’s plea to reduce his death sentence.
Mendoza’s defense argued that he was denied effective legal representation in earlier appeals, alleging that prior attorneys failed to challenge key testimony from a detention officer, which portrayed Mendoza as a future risk to society—a necessary finding to impose a death sentence in Texas. They claimed that this testimony influenced the jury’s decision significantly. The defense contended that a fellow inmate later testified that he had been encouraged by detention officers to provoke a fight with Mendoza, contradicting the earlier claims about Mendoza’s dangerousness.
The Texas Attorney General’s office countered that these claims of inadequate legal support had been deemed unfounded by a federal court. They further argued that despite questioning the detention officer’s credibility, the evidence presented to the jury was sufficiently compelling to support their verdict, which included Mendoza’s documented history of violence, particularly against women.
Prior to the murder, Mendoza had been at a party at Tolleson’s residence. After the crime, he confessed to police, detailing the violent nature of the act, but could not articulate any rationale for his behavior. He admitted to choking, sexually assaulting, and ultimately killing Tolleson before attempting to destroy evidence.
This execution marked the third in Texas this year, continuing the state’s longstanding practice as one of the most active in capital punishment in the United States, where Mendoza became the 13th prisoner to be executed nationwide in 2023.
Source
www.theguardian.com