Execution Report: Kenneth Bruce

Continued from Page 1

The criminals stole only a few relatively inexpensive items, and discarded most of those. According to trial testimony, the robbers believed that the Ayers were rich, because their house had nice Christmas lights.

Bruce had no prior criminal history.

A jury convicted Kenneth Bruce of capital murder in February 1992 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in February 1995. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Eric Lynn Moore, who Ayers described as the ringleader of the gang, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. He is on death row as of this writing. Anthony Quinn Bruce and Sam Andrews Jr. were convicted of capital murder and received life sentences. They remain in prison as of this writing.

"To the family of Ms. Ayers, I would like to apologize for all the pain and suffering and that God give you closure, and I pray that he blesses you," Bruce said in his last statement. He then expressed love to his own family. The lethal injection was administered, and Bruce was pronounced dead at 6:29 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 15 January 2004.
Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Associated Press.