Texas Executes Travis Mullis on September 24, 2024

Travis Mullis, Texas

Updated: Tuesday, September 24, 2024

On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Travis James Mullis was executed by the state of Texas.  Travis was 38 years of age.  He was pronounced dead at 7:01 pm local time, inside the Walls Unit execution chamber at the Huntsville State Penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas.  Travis was convicted and executed for murdering his three-month-old son Alijah Mullis on January 29, 2008, in Galveston, Texas.  For the last 13 years, Travis has resided on death row in Texas.

Travis Mullis’ mother smoked while she was pregnant with him.  He was born in North Carolina.  His mother died while he was an infant, and he went on to be sexually abused as a child by his adoptive father.  Travis was eventually diagnosed with multiple psychological conditions and was in therapy for years.  He does not have a prior prison record.  Travis worked as a general laborer before his arrest.  

Travis Mullis, his girlfriend, and their three-month-old child lived in a trailer home with several others.  On January 29, 2008, he took his friend’s eight-year-old daughter to a playground.  While there he attempted to remove her clothes and molest her.  However, she started crying so Mullis took her home.  Mullis became worried that the girl would tell her father, who would then evict Mullis, his girlfriend, and his son.  He left the trailer with his three-month-old son, Alijah.

Mullis sexually assaulted his son, which made Alijah start crying.  Mullis attempted to silence Alijah by choking him.  Once Alijah started gurgling, Mullis stopped choking him.  Instead, Mullis laid him down and stomped on his dead three times, causing instant death.  He then threw Alijah and his car seat into a nearby wooded area.  A passing couple found his body, which was clothed only in a diaper.

Mullis fled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he surrendered to the police.  Mullis confessed to the crime and has never denied it.  He has sought to stop his appeals and allow his execution to proceed.

Please pray for healing for the family of Alijah.  Pray for strength for the family of Travis Mullis.