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.
Interestingly Michael Rodriguez was not executed due to the contract killing, but instead due to his activities as part of the Texas 7. He had received a life sentence for the contract killing bid. If he had received death he would gave gone to Ellis Unit (where men's death row was at the time), while the Texas 7 had escaped from Connally Unit.
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