Texas Death Row:
As of August 2005 there were 411 people awaiting execution on Texas' death row. Of those, six were convicted in Travis or Williamson County. Since 1976, six people convicted in Travis County and two from Williamson County have been executed. On this page are the Travis and Williamson County offenders currently (or recently) on death row and the crimes for which they were assessed the death penalty.(Links go to a detailed profile of each inmate and their crime.)
Selwyn Davis:
Selwyn Davis entered death row in October 2007 after his conviction for the 2006 murder of his ex-girlfriend's mother, Regina Lara. The murder was preceded by attacks on other members of Lara's family and members of his own family.Guy Allen:
Guy Allen was convicted in the 2002 stabbing deaths of his girlfriend, Barbara Hill, and her teenage daughter, Janette Johnson, whose frantic call to 911, made just before her murder, was played for Travis County jurors in the trial of Guy Allen.Louis Perez:
Louis Perez received a death sentence for the 1998 death of two woman in their Austin home and the daughter of one of the women. He bludgeoned the roommates with a cast iron skillet then strangled the child with pantyhose.Cathy Lynn Henderson (Stay of Execution 6/11/07):
Cathy Henderson is the babysitter who abducted and killed (she says accidentally) and then buried 3 month old Brandon Baugh in 1994 before she fled the state. Days before her scheduled execution she receives a reprieve.David Lee Powell:
David Powell was convicted for the 1978 machine gun slaying of Austin Police Officer Ralph Ablanedo. His death sentence was overturned and reinstated twice. He lost an appeal for a 4th trial in 2008.How Offenders End Up on Death Row:
According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Death Row Facts the following crimes qualify for consideration of the death penalty:- murder of a public safety officer or firefighter
- murder during the commission of kidnapping, burglary, robbery, aggravated sexual assault, arson, or obstruction or retaliation
- murder for remuneration
- murder during prison escape
- murder of a correctional employee
- murder by a state prison inmate who is serving a life sentence for any of five offenses (murder, capital murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, or aggravated robbery)
- multiple murders
- murder of an individual under six years of age