The "Railroad Killer's" Last Words

Published: Jun. 22, 2006 at 10:55 AM CDT|Updated: Jun. 29, 2006 at 3:17 PM CDT
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New Media Producer: Kerry Corum

UPDATE, WED, 7:00 AM: Convicted killer Angel Maturino Resendiz said, "I deserve what I am getting,'' and asked for forgiveness before being executed Tuesday night.

The so-called "Railroad Killer" was condemned over the 1998 slaying of Dr. Claudia Benton at her Houston-area home, which is near tracks.

He also is linked to at least 14 other murders, including the 1999 deaths of an 80-year-old man and his 51-year-old daughter in the tiny southern Illinois town of Gorham, and the deaths of two Illinoisans in Florida.

The only known survivor of Resendiz' attacks is Evansville native, Holly Dunn-Pendleton.

Resendiz acknowledged members of his family watching through a nearby window and then turned and looked toward the relatives of victims in another room.

He asked the victims relatives to forgive him saying, "I know I allowed the devil to rule my life. I just ask you to forgive me and ask the Lord to forgive me for allowing the devil to deceive me."

New Media Producer: Rachel Chambliss

UPDATE, TUE 8:15 PM: So-called "Railroad Killer" Angel Maturino Resendiz has been executed at a Texas prison.

In his final statement, Resendiz asked for forgiveness.

He was pronounced dead at 8:05 p.m.

Resendiz was condemned over the 1998 slaying of Dr. Claudia Benton at her Houston-area home, which is near railroad tracks. He also is linked to at least 14 other murders, including the 1999 deaths of an 80-year-old man and his 51-year-old daughter in the tiny southern Illinois town of Gorham and the deaths of two Illinoisans in Florida.

Resendiz was the 13th Texas death row inmate to be executed this year.

UPDATE, TUE 7:45 PM: The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected all final appeals for so-called "Railroad Killer" Angel Maturino Resendiz.

That clears the way for prison officials in Huntsville to proceed with Tuesday night's scheduled execution.

UPDATE, TUE 6:30 PM: With appeals pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas prison officials have delayed the scheduled 6 p.m. lethal injection of "Railroad Killer" Angel Maturino Resendiz.

Such delays are not unusual and officials will not proceed with the execution until appeals are resolved.

The death warrant remains in effect until midnight Tuesday.

New Media Producer: Kerry Corum

UPDATE, TUE, 2:45 PM: The man who alleged killed a University of Kentucky student in 1997 is heading for the death chamber Tuesday night.

Train-hopping serial killer Angel Maturino Resendiz, who is linked to at least 15 murders across the country, is scheduled to die by lethal injection in Texas.

Resendiz allegedly killed 21-year-old Christopher Maier while he was heading to a party with his girlfriend near the UK campus in August, 1997.

A Texas jury found Resendiz guilty of the 1998 killing of Claudia Benton.

His lawyers have filed a number of last-second appeals.

The consul general of Mexico has petitioned the US Supreme Court questioning Resendiz's mental competency.

The Mexican native has told psychiatrists that he couldn't be executed because he believes he is immortal.

UPDATE, TUE, 7:00 AM: On Monday, lawyers for so-called "Railroad Killer" Angel Maturino Resendiz asked the US Supreme Court to block his execution in Texas.

Resendiz faces lethal injection Tuesday in Huntsville, for the 1998 fatal stabbing and bludgeoning of a Houston-area physician.

Resendiz has been linked to eight slayings in Texas. He's also confessed to the 1999 deaths of an 80-year-old man and his 51-year-old daughter in the tiny southern Illinois town of Gorham and the deaths of two Illinoisans in Florida.

All occurred from 1986 through mid-1999 and most of the attacks happened near railroad tracks.

Defense attorney Jack Zimmermann says Resendiz does not make a factual connection between his crime and his punishment.

Previously: Wednesday, a judge in Houston ruled condemned serial killer Angel Maturino Resendiz is mentally competent to be executed next week.

The so-called "Railroad Killer" gained his nickname by hopping freight trains and committing murders near railroad tracks.

The 46-year-old faces execution Tuesday in Texas, over the 1998 rape-slaying of a Houston-area physician.

But that's not the end of it. In 1997, Resendiz killed a University of Kentucky student and raped his girlfriend.

Resendiz is linked to at least 15 murders in all, eight in Texas alone.

The serial killer confessed to the 1999 deaths of an 80-year-old man and his 51-year-old daughter in tiny Gorham, Illinois, as well as the deaths of two other Illinoisans in Florida.

All those murders occurred from 1986 through mid-1999.

And the "Railroad Killer" is familiar locally too. The only known survivor of Resendiz' attacks is Evansville native, Holly Dunn-Pendleton.

Defense psychiatrists say 46-year-old Resendiz is schizophrenic, delusional and believes he'll survive his lethal injection. Defense attorneys argued, the Mexican national did not believe he was going to die because he was half-man and half-angel - and would return three days after he went to the death chamber gurney.

Prosecution psychiatrists say he's not schizophrenic and is eligible for execution.

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