Big Day for Bigby

James Eugene Bigby was executed by the state of Texas tonight for a horrific double murder committed in 1991. The former auto mechanic killed a father and the man’s infant son on Christmas Eve, then later killed two more men that same evening. Bigby believed the men were conspiring against him in a pending legal case related to workman’s compensation.

During his murder trial, Bigby’s lawyers claimed the man was a paranoid schizophrenic and introduced evidence that Bigby was raised by an alcoholic mother who breast-fed Bibgy until he was seven years old. Bigby got agitated during the trial, managed to grab a loaded gun from behind the judge’s bench, and threatened the judge with it. He was wrestled to the ground by the judge and two other men, and the trial commenced.

Bigby spent the day of his execution sobbing in apparent remorse for his crimes.

Because Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, Bigby was served the same food as others in his unit. For his last meal, James Bigby had pepper steak, steamed rice, brown gravy, carrots, green beans, oven-fried potatoes, sliced bread, and pineapples, with a choice of tea, water, or punch to drink.

Rolando Ruiz Ruminates with Remorse

Contract killer Rolando Ruiz was executed by the state of Texas tonight for his part in the murder-for-hire death of a 29-year-old San Antonio woman. The woman’s husband and brother-in-law paid Ruiz $2,000 to be the triggerman in the scheme, which was designed to collect a large life insurance policy. The woman’s husband, Michael Rodriguez, was one of the infamous “Texas 7” who escaped from prison in 2000 and were then recaptured. Rodriguez was executed in 2008.

Unlike some convicted killers, Ruiz did actually show remorse before his execution. "Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am," he lamented at the beginning of his final statement. 

Because Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, Ruiz was served the same food as others in his unit. For his last meal, Rolando Ruiz had a fried chicken patty, mashed potatoes, country gravy, green beans, carrots, pinto beans, corn bread, and a choice of tea, punch, or water to drink.