Execution Report: Timothy Gribble

Timothy Lane Gribble, 36, was executed by lethal injection on 15 March 2000 in Huntsville, Texas, for the rape and murder of a homeowner he was working for.

In September 1987, Elizabeth "Libby" Jones, 36, was having her home remodeled. At about 7:30 p.m. one evening, she called Terry Hahn, her boyfriend, and mentioned that one roofer was still at the house, hammering on her roof. Jones missed work the next day and, noting her absence, some of her friends went to her house that evening. After looking through the house, they became suspicious and called police.

Investigators found numerous cigarette butts in various locations and an almost-empty wine bottle in the trash can, although Jones neither smoked nor drank. They learned from the remodeling contractor that Timothy Gribble, then 24, was the roofer who had worked late the previous evening. Police questioned Gribble, who was not considered a suspect at that time. Gribble told them that after he finished up, he knocked on the front door and asked Jones if he could come in to wash his hands. She let him in, he washed his hands, and he left.

Two weeks later, Jones was still missing. Investigators questioned Gribble again. This time, he admitted that he was the source of the cigarette butts and wine bottle, but he still disclaimed any involvement in her disappearance.

About a week later, Gribble was arrested in Tennessee and, after another four days, was transported back to Texas. In police custody, he confessed to the sexual assault, abduction, and murder of Elizabeth Jones. He said that he did leave Jones' house after washing his hands, but then he returned later that night. This time, he told Jones that he had left his billfold behind, and asked if he could come in to look for it. She let him in. Once inside, Gribble raped Jones and forced her into her car. They drove to an isolated area where he said he intended to tie her naked to a tree and leave her. When she struggled and screamed, he strangled her with the sash from her robe. He covered her body with a tree branch and disposed of her purse in a creek. While in custody, Gribble led the police to the purse and then to Jones' body.

At his trial, Gribble admitted to raping a woman in 1981 under after gaining entry into her house on a false pretense. He was sentenced to ten years probation for that offense. In 1983, he raped a 15-year-old girl. For this, his probation was revoked and he received a 5-year prison sentence. He served 16 months of that sentence before being paroled in May 1985. Gribble also admitted that nine days after murdering Jones, he used false pretenses to gain entry into his ex-wife's apartment, and raped her.

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