EXECUTION WATCH: Arnold Prieto(TX)*UPDATED*

*Thug: Arnold Prieto(age 20 at time of murders)
*Date of execution: 21 Jan 2015
*Date of crime: 9 Nov 1993
*Victims: Rudolfo Rodriguez 72, his wife Virginia 62 and Paula Moran 90.
*Last meal: TBA, no special requests allowed.
*Final words: TBA.

*UPDATES*
*Last meal-For his last meal, Prieto was served barbequed chopped beef, pinto beans, and carrots, with the usual choice of tea, punch, or water to drink. (per Last Suppers Book)
*Final words-“There are no endings, only beginnings. Love y’all. See you soon.” Then, as the injection began…”whoa.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the first execution in Texas for 2015, after two earlier stays this January, comes one Arnold Prieto. He will finally face justice for his part in the murders of three elderly people twenty two years ago.

It’s difficult to understand why it has taken so long, perhaps the fact that there are two other defendants in this case contributed to the numerous and time consuming legal procedures.

There is some conflicting information about the crimes Prieto is being punished for, some say it was his elderly relatives that were murdered, but I will rely on the Texas OAG as the factual source.

The OAG provides the following info:

The Hernandez brothers, Lupe and Jesse, were friends of [Prieto]’s who supplied [him] with free cocaine. The Hernandez brothers, particularly Lupe, would often mention a rich uncle in San Antonio, Rodolfo Rodriguez, who was married to the brothers’ aunt, Virginia Rodriguez. They told [Prieto] their uncle was a loan shark who kept a closet full of money.

[Prieto] and Lupe began taking cocaine early on the day of the offense which occurred in September 1993. Lupe repeatedly asserted that he wanted to go to San Antonio to get his uncle’s money. [Prieto]’s confession claimed Lupe “pressured” [him] into going to San Antonio to get his uncle’s money. The Hernandez brothers and [Prieto] set off from Carrollton in [Prieto]’s car for the victims’ home in San Antonio. They took cocaine throughout the trip.
~~~~
During the penalty phase of Prieto’s trial, jurors learned that Prieto was federally indicted in January 1994 for engaging in organized criminal activity and stealing 163 laptop computers – worth approximately $676,000 – from his Dallas-area employer. Prieto was associated with an organized-crime ring involved in the theft and resale of various products: tires, chemicals, furniture, and computers. The jury also heard evidence that, while incarcerated awaiting trial, Prieto was disciplined for multiple instances of disobeying orders, violating security rules, possession of contraband, yelling, and changing television channels without permission. Finally, jurors learned that Prieto was arrested and confessed to the 1990 burglaries of a Lincoln, two trucks, and two vans.

Some time after 6p.m.CDT Prieto will finally pay the debt he owes the state of Texas for murder. His short, but menacing criminal ways will come to an end.