A Texas man convicted of beating and suffocating a Dallas area pastor in his own church during a robbery is facing execution on Wednesday, marking the second scheduled execution in the U.S. this year. Steven Lawayne Nelson was sentenced to death for the 2011 killing of Rev. Clint Dobson, 28, who was brutally attacked inside NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington. Tragically, Dobson lost his life in a heinous manner, being beaten, strangled, and suffocated with a plastic bag. Additionally, Dobson's secretary was severely beaten but miraculously survived the ordeal.
Nelson, 37, is set to receive a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. This execution would be the first in Texas since 2024, as a previous execution date was postponed. Nelson, a laborer and high school dropout with a troubled past, has been on death row and recently got married. Despite his plea for mercy and claims of innocence, Nelson was found guilty of the crime based on substantial evidence.
During the trial, evidence including Nelson's fingerprints, pieces of his broken belt at the crime scene, and drops of the victims' blood on his sneakers were presented. Surveillance footage also showed him using the victims' belongings. Nelson's defense team raised concerns about his legal representation and presented arguments challenging the evidence against him, but their appeals were denied by both state and federal courts.
While awaiting trial, Nelson faced additional charges related to the killing of another inmate but was never tried for that offense. His disruptive behavior during the legal proceedings, including breaking restraints and causing damage in the courtroom, added to the complexity of the case. Despite ongoing efforts to halt his execution, Nelson's fate remains scheduled for Wednesday evening.
Furthermore, Texas has three more executions planned in the coming months, with the next one scheduled for February 13. Richard Lee Tabler, another death row inmate, awaits execution for multiple murders committed in 2004. The state's capital punishment system continues to carry out sentences for those convicted of heinous crimes, reflecting the ongoing debate surrounding the death penalty in the United States.
