Mexican Mafia enforcer executed in Texas for strangling a woman over unpaid drug tax

A Mexican Mafia hit man convicted of beating and strangling a San Antonio woman because she didn't pay the gang's 10 per cent tax on her illegal drug sales was executed Wednesday evening.

The injection of Manuel Vasquez with a lethal dose of pentobarbital leaves Texas with enough of the powerful sedative to carry out only one more execution.

Vasquez was the fourth Texas inmate put to death this year, and at least six are scheduled for execution in the coming weeks.

Vasquez, 46, was pronounced dead at 6.32pm CDT, 17 minutes after the drug began being administered.

Vasquez, in a final statement, told his family and friends he loved them and thanked 'the Lord for his kind mercy, faithfulness and unconditional love.'

'In Jesus' name I pray,' he said, then told the warden: 'I'm ready.'

He took three deep breaths, then began snoring loudly. The snores became progressively quiet, and all movement stopped within less than a minute.

The sister of his victim was among witnesses watching through a window. He never looked at her. His own sister and a female friend cried as they watched in an adjacent room.

Vasquez's lawyers filed no late appeals to delay his execution for the 1998 slaying of 51-year-old Juanita Ybarra.

Evidence at Vasquez's 1999 capital murder trial showed he and two other men were carrying out orders to kill 51-year-old Juanita Ybarra for ignoring the Mexican Mafia's 10 per cent street tax on drugs — known as a 'dime.'

'I'm sure she was told if you're selling, you've got to pay the tax,' said Mary Green, an assistant Bexar County district attorney who prosecuted Vasquez.


Source: dailymail.co.uk