An execution date was recently set for Joe Franco Garza, 43, who was convicted of capital murder by a Lubbock County jury for strangling Silbiano Rangel, 71, to death in December 1998. The date will be September 2 at 6:00 pm.
Garza was convicted in 2000, but the sentence was overturned on appeal. He was again sentenced to death in 2006.
Official records said Garza came up from behind Rangel with a sock to strangle and kill him. Garza then stole his truck and drove to the home of his 13-year-old pregnant girlfriend. From there, he then drove her to Dallas in the stolen truck.
TDCJ online records were updated last week to reflect the new execution date.
Court records in Lubbock County confirm the information and show that State District Judge John “Trey” McClendon signed the order for an execution date on March 26.
Garza’s case was rejected by the United State Supreme Court just weeks before McClendon signed the order.