Texas Execution Of Ruben Gutierrez Temporarily Halted on July 16, 2024
Ruben Gutierrez, Texas
Updated: Tuesday, June 16, 2024
The Supreme Court of the United States temporarily halted the Texas execution of Ruben Gutierrez shortly before it was scheduled to begin. The execution has been stayed pending further proceedings, which allows the court time to consider if they will hear the case. If they elect not to hear the case, Ruben can be given a new execution date. The stay was granted over concerns about DNA testing in the case. Ruben and his attorneys have insisted that additionally DNA testing will prove that Ruben did not commit the murder for which he is convicted. Previous requests for additional testing have been denied by lower courts.
Updated: Monday, June 15, 2024
Ruben Gutierrez is scheduled to be executed at 6 pm local time, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at the Walls Unit of the Huntsville State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas. Forty-seven-year-old Ruben is convicted of murdering 85-year-old Escolastica Harrison on September 5, 1998, in her Brownsville, Texas mobile home. Ruben has spent the last 25 years of his life on Texas’ death row.
Ruben was born in Florida and dropped out of school after the eighth grade. Before going to prison, he worked as a forklift operator and a laborer.
On the evening of September 5, 1998, Ruben Gutierrez and Rene Gracia entered the mobile home and office of Escolastica Harrison. Escolastica owned a mobile home park. The two men entered, planning to steal the safe.
The intruders hoped to incapacitate Escolastica and struck her on the head. However, they failed to knock her out. Escolastica fought back against the intruders. During the fight, they struck her on the head multiple times with their fists and steel-toed shoes. She was also stabbed multiple times with two screwdrivers. Escolastica’s cheekbones were broken and she received severe brain damage, resulting in her death.
Ruben and Rene fled the office with at least $56,000 in cash.
Ruben was convicted and sentenced to death on May 14, 1999. He has contested his death sentence, arguing there is no evidence directly linking him to Escolastica’s death. Ruben has admitted to helping plan the robbery, but denies participating in the murder. Rene was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and named Ruben as the killer.
October 27, 2021, is not Ruben’s first execution date. He had a previous execution date of September 12, 2018. A federal judge with the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the execution due to Ruben being assigned new legal representation just one month before his execution. Ruben’s former lawyer was removed from his case because she claimed she did not have the expertise to handle the case. Also, his former lawyer was no longer allowed to practice before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals due to previous rude behavior towards court staff.
Ruben also had two execution dates in 2019. The first execution was rescheduled after the execution warrant was withdrawn. The second execution was stayed due to a clerical error. Ruben’s third execution was canceled due to ongoing questions regarding access by religious advisors to the execution chamber. That issue has since been resolved, as spiritual advisors are permitted into the execution chamber and can lay hands on an inmate and pray out loud for them during the execution process.
Please pray for peace and healing for the family of Escolastica Harrison. Please pray for strength for the family of Ruben Gutierrez. Pray that if Ruben is innocent, lacks the competency to be executed, or should not be executed for any other reason, that evidence will be provided before his execution. Pray that Ruben comes to find peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
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