Executed Death Row Inmates Convicted In Lubbock County Part 1

Lubbock has had its fair share of high-profile criminal cases, including capital crimes, which are eligible for the ultimate punishment- the death penalty.

Keeping Records On Texas Executions

Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 1970s, Texas has kept records of every death row inmate, including their mugshot, a few details of their crime, and the Texas counties involved. Of the 600 people who have been executed since the 1970s, only 13 are attributed to Lubbock County.

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What Does The County Designation Mean In Death Row Cases?

This is a good question, as it does not mean where the inmate is from, or even where the crime happened. The county designation is where the death penalty was tried. In high-profile cases, such as capital crimes, it is not uncommon that the defense will seek a change in venue in an attempt to shake off bias in the potential jury. However, some capital cases do happen in the same jurisdiction in which they are tried. For this first installment, we will see a mixture of both.

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Historic, Shocking, Domestic

The first death penalty case tried in Lubbock since the 1970s is historic in nature; it marks the punishment of the first time an undercover narcotics agent was ever killed in the line of duty in Texas. One person tried and convicted in Lubbock was known by the horrifying moniker of "The Travelling Rapist" and was convicted of murdering a 12-year-old girl. Two of these inmates committed crimes in Lubbock and were tried here.

Conviction To Execution Takes Time

While all these crimes happened in the 70s and 80s, it can take decades for executions to happen due to the appeals process. You will notice a few executed in 2000, a peak year for the death penalty in Texas.