A South Texas man convicted of murdering three young children he helped raise was executed Thursday evening, nearly 23 years after the killings.
asserted
he → convict → killings
John Allen Rubio, 46, of Brownsville, received a lethal injection at a state prison in Huntsville, according to The Associated Press (AP).
uncertain
Rubio → receive → Press
Rubio was convicted of stabbing and beheading his children, Julissa Quezada, 3, John Esteban Rubio, 1, and Mary Jane Rubio, 2 months old.
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Rubio → convict → children
He was prosecuted alongside his common-law wife, Angela Camacho.
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He → prosecute → wife
Rubio was pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m., 21 minutes after the lethal injection began, The AP said.
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AP → pronounce → p.m.
The execution, scheduled for 6 p.m., proceeded without incident.
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execution → schedule → incident
In his final statement, Rubio thanked his friends and family for their "love and understanding," acknowledged that he was "not the same person I once was" and expressed his love for his wife, according to the AP.
uncertain
I → thank → AP
"I want to say I’m sorry to my wife’s family," he said.
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he → want → family
"I can’t change the past, but I can tell you my life is going to be over.
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life → change → you
But that’s not going to make you happy.
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you → go → ?
"I’m going to be with my kids in a little bit," he added.
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he → go → bit
"I’m ready to go to heaven to be with my lord and savior."
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I → ’m → lord
The execution brought an end to a case dating back to March 11, 2003, when Rubio and Camacho killed their three children inside a windowless apartment.
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Rubio → bring → apartment
According to court records, Rubio was not the biological father of the two older children but had nevertheless taken on a parental role in their lives, the outlet reported.
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outlet → accord → lives
In the lead-up to the killings, Rubio reportedly claimed the children were possessed and cast himself as the "chosen one" destined to save the world.
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children → claim → world
Rubio at one point pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
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Rubio → plead → insanity
Defense experts reportedly diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia, but prosecution experts ultimately disputed the findings.
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experts → diagnose → findings
His defense team also painted a picture of a deeply troubled childhood, citing violence, toxic parents, drug use and prostitution as factors that stunted his development, the AP said.
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AP → paint → development
Camacho pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence for her role in the murders, according to reports.
uncertain
Camacho → plead → reports
The apartment building where the children were killed has since been demolished, and the property was transformed into a community park and garden, according to the AP.
uncertain
property → kill → AP
Rubio's death marked the second of two executions scheduled in the U.S. for Thursday.
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death → mark → Thursday
Just hours earlier, James Pavatt, 73, was put to death by lethal injection in Oklahoma.
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Pavatt → put → Oklahoma
Pavatt was convicted of plotting and carrying out the 2001 killing of his partner's estranged husband.
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Pavatt → convict → husband
The Aporia
