A Texas man, Steven Lawayne Nelson, 37, was put to death by lethal injection at a state penitentiary in Huntsville. Nelson was convicted of killing Rev. Clint Dobson, 28, inside NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington. The murder took place during a robbery just days after Nelson was released from an anger management program.
Prior to his execution, Nelson expressed love and gratitude towards his wife and was at peace with his fate. He maintained his innocence, claiming he was only a lookout during the robbery and blamed two other men for the pastor's death.
Nelson was captured after using stolen credit cards belonging to the victims. His attorneys appealed the conviction, citing inadequate legal representation and failure to present mitigating evidence of his troubled childhood.
The victims' families released statements expressing forgiveness towards Nelson and focusing on the memories of their loved ones. Bradley Elliott, whose mother survived the attack, expressed hope that Nelson found peace in the afterlife.
Nelson's execution marks the second in the U.S. this year and the first of four scheduled in Texas over the next three months. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice did not disclose Nelson's last meal.
