Texas murderer David Renteria executed, 22 years after abduction, killing of 5-year-old

HUNTSVILLE, Texas − David Santiago Renteria spoke his last words Thursday night, strapped to a gurney at the Huntsville Unit, minutes before being executed in the 2001 abduction and killing of 5-year-old Alexandra Flores.

Renteria, 53, was injected with a lethal dose of pentobarbital Thursday, Nov. 16, on a dark, cold and rainy evening at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's prison. His time of death was 7:11 p.m. CST, prison officials said.

With his family and Alexandra's family present, Renteria gave his final statements.

Renteria sang a religious song. And he told the victim’s family, there isn’t a day he doesn’t think about what he did and said, “no words can describe what you are going through.”

“I’m sorry for all the wrongs I have done. And for those who have called for my death, who are about to murder me, I forgive you,” he said in a final statement.

The Renteria family watched the execution from a different room from Alexandra's family. Glass windows separated the witnesses from Renteria.

Alexandra's sister, Sandra Frausto, and brother, Ignacio Frausto, attended the execution.

Renteria's sister Cecilia Esparza and a friend also were present.

Esparza collapsed when she walked into the viewing room, and prison officials brought her a chair and she cried. Renteria told his sister through the glass, “I love you.”

A victim of Renteria's from a different criminal incident and her mother also attended the execution. Renteria was previously convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for indecency with a child in El Paso.

The execution was also attended by 14 state law enforcement and governmental officials.

Previously from USA TODAY Network:Texas prepares for lethal injection execution of convicted El Paso child killer

22-year legal battle

Renteria grew up in Texas and was a tribal member of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, according to the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

While in prison, he rededicated himself to his Roman Catholic faith, the coalition reported.

Renteria's execution ends a nearly 22-year legal battle waged in what has been described as one of the most heinous crimes committed in El Paso.

"I’ve always been a supporter of the death penalty and from a law enforcement perspective, I just think some people are too dangerous to be in our society and that is certainly one individual who I think that that the death penalty is absolutely appropriate," El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles said. “It’s a long time coming. I think it’s been what? Twenty-one years. I was actually the assistant (El Paso police) chief, (Carlos) Leon was the chief when that horrific crime occurred. It was really tough on everybody. I can’t even imagine what that family went through and what they’re still going through today.

"Hopefully, this will give them a little bit of relief to help them in their recovery that is going to take the rest of their lives, Wiles said. "I can’t even imagine losing my 5-year-old daughter to such a horrific crime."

Last days on Texas death row for one of El Paso's most notorious killers

Renteria spent his final days meeting with visitors, laying in bed, watching TV through a cell door and sleeping, a Death Watch report states. The times listed below are in Central time zone.

On his execution day, starting at 12:15 a.m., he sat on his bed and began writing.

He began packing up his property about 2:30 a.m., before sitting on the floor and reading a book around 4 a.m., the report states. He then continued packing up his property and cleaning the floor between 5 to 7:30 a.m.

Renteria was allowed to talk to fellow inmates at 7:30 a.m., before meeting with visitors from 8 to 11:30 a.m., the death watch states.

He was then transferred from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas, to the Huntsville Unit to await his execution.

Justice served for Alexandra Flores in 2001 abduction nearly 22 years later

Renteria's execution came two days before the 22nd anniversary of the day he kidnapped 5-year-old Alexandra Flores from an El Paso Walmart, strangled her to death and then burned her body.

Renteria abducted Alexandra Nov. 18, 2001, as she was Christmas shopping with her parents at an El Paso Lower Valley Walmart.

Her parents realized she was missing and searched the store but could not find her. Alexandra was seen on store surveillance video exiting the store about 5:15 p.m. with Renteria.

Alexandra's body was found about 7:10 a.m. the next day. She was naked and partially burned in a carport near Downtown El Paso.

An autopsy revealed Alexandra was strangled to death and then set ablaze, court documents state. Investigators later revealed there were no signs of sexual assault.

A palm print on a plastic bag found over Alexandra's head was determined to be from Renteria, court documents state.

More:Convicted El Paso killer David Renteria's execution date to remain, appeals court rules

El Paso Police Department investigators discovered that a vehicle registered to Renteria was at the El Paso Walmart at 9441 Alameda Ave. at the time and date of Alexandra's disappearance. Renteria also told police he was at the location at the time and date of her disappearance, court documents state.

Renteria went to trial for the death of Alexandra in September 2003. He claimed in his trial that Barrio Azteca gang members forced him to kidnap the girl and someone else was the person who killed her, court records show.

A jury convicted him of capital murder and he was sentenced to death.

Appeals court justices heard the case in 2006 and upheld the conviction. However, the justices ordered a new sentencing phase of the trial.

The resentencing was ordered because of "exclusion of evidence showing the defendant's remorse violated due process by preventing defendant from rebutting the State's case when the State left jury with false impression and emphasized it," the justices wrote in their opinion.

A new sentencing trial was held in 2008. A new jury was selected for the trial and the jurors reached the same verdict as the 2003 jury − a sentence of death.

Failed appeal efforts end in pentobarbital injection

Dozens of appeals have been filed by Renteria and his attorneys since the 2008 sentencing.

Less than three hours before Renteria was set to receive a lethal injection at the state penitentiary, his attorneys asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stop his execution over claims the state’s supply of pentobarbital, the execution drug he would be injected with, has degraded.

They argued that it now contains contaminants that would cause him “terror” and “severe pain,” a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The claim, made by other Texas inmates facing execution, was rejected.

Attorney Tivon Schardl, who is currently representing Renteria, declined to comment.

The appeals have ranged from Renteria claiming he was wrongfully convicted to allegations he had constitutional rights violated.

All appeals efforts − including some filed in days and hours before his execution − to stop or even postpone the execution failed.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted 7-0 Tuesday, Nov. 14, against commuting Renteria's death sentence to a lesser penalty.

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT. Times reporter Daniel Borunda and the Associated Press contributed to this story.