Rosendo Rodriguez of Lubbock was put to death Tuesday evening by the State of Texas. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at 6:46 p.m. at the Huntsville Unit. The injection began at 6:24 p.m.
His last words were, “With that, Lord into your hands I commend my spirit. I have fought the good fight, I have ran the race. I have accomplished what God intended me to do. Warden, I’m ready to join my Father… Here I go.”
Rodriguez spoke for several minutes before he was executed. He talked about his fellow inmates, saying Jesus commands people to visit prisoners.
He also said, “The State may have my body, but they will never have my soul.”
Rodriguez did not apologize for the crimes or to the victims’ families.
“It’s been quite a traumatic event for all of us, 15 years in the making,” Joanna’s father, Joe Bill Rogers, said after the execution.
“My feelings about it: It’s over,” he said, adding that the community has been more supportive than anywhere else in the world.
Hear from the families in the video below.
Rodriguez was put to death for the 2005 capital murder of Summer Baldwin and her unborn child. He also confessed to the murder of Joanna Rogers.
According to a public information officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, over the last couple days, the most notable things Rodriguez did was talk with visitors, packing, and typing on a typewriter.
Rodriguez family members were listed as witnesses, including his mom and sister. Two friends and a person listed as spiritual adviser were also there for Rodriguez.
Also there to witness was the mom and an aunt of Summer Baldwin. Joanna Rogers’ mom, dad, brother and a friend were there.
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