Rhino
06-21-2006, 02:26 PM
Jun 21, 4:23 PM EDT
Judge: 'Railroad Killer' to Be Executed
By MICHAEL GRACZYK
Associated Press Writer
HOUSTON (AP) -- A judge ruled Wednesday that serial killer Angel Maturino Resendiz, who gained notoriety as the "Railroad Killer" linked to at least 15 murders across the country, is mentally competent to be executed next week for the 1998 rape-slaying of a Texas doctor.
Resendiz' attorneys had argued that the 46-year-old Mexican national is delusional and believes he is half-man, half-angel and will return three days after going to the death chamber.
"He knows he's been convicted of capital murder," State District Judge William Harmon said Wednesday at the conclusion of a three-day hearing. "He knows he's received a death sentence and he knows that today. And he knows he's going to be executed on Tuesday."
Resendiz was convicted of killing Claudia Benton, a researcher at the Texas Medical Center, who was stabbed, beaten with a statue and raped in her Houston home.
Overall, he has been linked to eight slayings in Texas, two in Illinois, two in Florida, and one each in Kentucky, California and Georgia between 1986 through June 1999. Most were near railroad tracks, drawing the nickname "Railroad Killer." Four occurred after the Border Patrol nabbed him as an illegal immigrant and returned him to Mexico, not realizing he was on the FBI's Most Wanted list.......http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RAILROAD_KILLER?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
Judge: 'Railroad Killer' to Be Executed
By MICHAEL GRACZYK
Associated Press Writer
HOUSTON (AP) -- A judge ruled Wednesday that serial killer Angel Maturino Resendiz, who gained notoriety as the "Railroad Killer" linked to at least 15 murders across the country, is mentally competent to be executed next week for the 1998 rape-slaying of a Texas doctor.
Resendiz' attorneys had argued that the 46-year-old Mexican national is delusional and believes he is half-man, half-angel and will return three days after going to the death chamber.
"He knows he's been convicted of capital murder," State District Judge William Harmon said Wednesday at the conclusion of a three-day hearing. "He knows he's received a death sentence and he knows that today. And he knows he's going to be executed on Tuesday."
Resendiz was convicted of killing Claudia Benton, a researcher at the Texas Medical Center, who was stabbed, beaten with a statue and raped in her Houston home.
Overall, he has been linked to eight slayings in Texas, two in Illinois, two in Florida, and one each in Kentucky, California and Georgia between 1986 through June 1999. Most were near railroad tracks, drawing the nickname "Railroad Killer." Four occurred after the Border Patrol nabbed him as an illegal immigrant and returned him to Mexico, not realizing he was on the FBI's Most Wanted list.......http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RAILROAD_KILLER?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US