David Martinez

David Martinez, 29, was executed by lethal injection on 28 July 2005 in Huntsville, Texas for the rape, murder, and robbery of a 24-year-old woman.

On 22 July 1997, Kiersa Paul told her sister that she was going to an Austin park that night to meet an acquaintance named "Wolf." She rode her red bicycle to work that day as usual, then left work at 7 pm on her bicycle. Meanwhile, Martinez, who was nicknamed Wolf, told some friends that he was going to meet a woman in the park. He came home after midnight with a red bicycle. Paul's body, clothed only in a pair of underwear, was found by a jogger the next day. She had been beaten on the head, raped, and strangled, and her throat was cut. An "X" was carved into her chest.

Police searched Martinez' apartment and found Paul's bicycle and a bloody knife. DNA from the blood matched the victim. Hairs consistent with Martinez' were found on Paul's body, and his DNA was matched to semen found on Paul's underwear.

Martinez' defense attorney, Steve Brittain, presented no witnesses, resting his case immediately after the prosecutor did. In closing remarks, Brittain stated that Martinez didn't act like a guilty person because he didn't hide evidence, such as the bicycle, and because he told lies that were easily discovered.

Martinez had no prior criminal convictions, but in April 1995, a few months prior to his 18th birthday, he was charged with carrying an explosive device. He was given deferred adjudication and placed on five years' probation. He was sent to boot camp after violating the terms of his probation.

A jury convicted Martinez of capital murder in October 1998 and subsequently sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in May 2000. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

"Only the sky and green grass goes on forever, and today is a good day to die," Martinez said in his last statement. The lethal injection was then started. Martinez was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m.