Execution Paused Days Before Inmate Scheduled to Die

Gavel, handcuffs, and "Death Penalty" sign on desk.

Texas halts the execution of death row inmate David Leonard Wood just days before he was scheduled to die, sparking outrage from victims’ families and raising questions about the state’s willingness to test DNA evidence that could prove his innocence.

Quick Takes

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals blocked the execution of David Leonard Wood, who has spent 32 years on death row for allegedly murdering six women and girls near El Paso.
This is the second time Wood’s execution has been halted, with the previous stay occurring in 2009 over intellectual disability claims.
Wood’s attorneys argue that DNA evidence found on one victim’s clothing doesn’t match him and are requesting additional testing.
The mother of one victim expressed frustration, saying “They think they’re going to outlive me?”
Six justices voted for the stay while two opposed it, though the court did not specify its reasons for stopping the execution.

Decades on Death Row with Claims of Innocence

David Leonard Wood, dubbed the “Desert Killer,” has maintained his innocence throughout his 32 years on Texas’ death row – the longest time any Texas inmate has spent awaiting execution. Wood was convicted in 1992 for the murders of six women and girls whose bodies were found in shallow graves in the desert near El Paso in the late 1980s. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has now blocked his execution which was scheduled for March 13, 2025, at the Huntsville Unit prison. This is the second time Wood has received a last-minute reprieve, with his previous execution halted in 2009 over claims of intellectual disability.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals issued the stay for David Wood, convicted of six 1987 murders. His defense argues weak evidence and lack of DNA testing in the case. https://t.co/1astII4Z3C

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 12, 2025

The court’s ruling, supported by six justices with two opposing and one not participating, did not specify the reasons for stopping the execution. However, it referenced several claims raised by Wood and his attorney, including innocence, false testimony, suppression of evidence, destruction of evidence, ineffective trial counsel, conflict of interest, lack of unanimous jury verdict, and issues with witness confrontation. Wood, a repeat sex offender, was convicted largely on circumstantial evidence and allegedly bragging about the killings to a cellmate.

DNA Testing at the Center of Wood’s Defense

Wood’s legal team has consistently argued that authorities focused on him as a suspect rather than following the evidence. A critical point in their defense is that a male DNA profile found on one victim’s clothing did not match Wood. Despite this potentially exculpatory evidence, the Texas Attorney General’s Office has opposed further DNA testing. Wood’s lawyers contend that his due process rights are being violated by the state’s refusal to conduct additional testing on evidence found at the crime scenes that could potentially prove his innocence.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles recently declined to commute Wood’s death sentence or grant a 90-day reprieve, even as his legal team presented evidence casting doubt on his guilt. This case adds to a growing national debate about the reliability of evidence in capital punishment cases and whether states should be required to test all available DNA evidence before proceeding with executions, particularly in cases where inmates have consistently claimed innocence for decades.

Victims’ Families Express Frustration

The court’s decision has devastated the families of the victims who have waited more than three decades for what they see as justice. Marcia Fulton, the mother of one of the victims, expressed her profound disappointment and frustration with the justice system after learning of the latest stay of execution. The victims’ bodies were discovered in 1987, and families have endured a grueling legal process spanning nearly four decades.

Wood was convicted of murdering six El Paso-area girls and women and has been linked to three other missing individuals. The bodies of the six victims were found in shallow graves in a Northeast El Paso desert, a case that shocked the community and has remained in the public consciousness for decades. Fulton has called for community support to seek justice for her daughter and the other victims, saying, “Let their voices be heard.” Meanwhile, Wood continues to proclaim his innocence, stating firmly during a previous court appearance, “I did not do it. I am innocent of this case. I’ll fight it.”