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Texas Execution: Pablo Lucio Vasquez Known As The ‘Vampire’ Killer Has Been Put To Death

By Louis Babcock
Published on: 02:38 PST, Apr 7, 2016

The execution of a Texas man, Pablo Lucio Vasquez, occurred Wednesday evening. Known as the “vampire” killer, the execution process of Vasquez began at approximately 6:00 p.m. yesterday evening. The execution was completed by a lethal injection of pentobarbital. Vasquez was pronounced dead 35 minutes later.

Earlier in the day, Vasquez appeared in court where his final appeal was denied. Vasquez stated that his trial was not fair due to the fact that the court “repeatedly excused prospective jurors with sympathies against the death penalty but still qualified to serve.” In previous appeal attempts, the attorney for Vasquez claimed that the murder that his client committed should not be tried as a capital crime due to the fact that his client did not intend to rob his victim. Previous appeal attempts also were used where it was stated that the defendant did not have a competent attorney because the insanity plea was never given.

The Texas man was convicted of the murder of David Cardenas on April 18, 1998. Cardenas was 12-years-old at the time of his death. During the early morning hours on April, 18, Vasquez, 20-years-old, his cousin, Andres Chapa, 15-years-old, and Cardenas were leaving a party. The three men were heading back to where the Chapa’s mother was staying. While at the party, Vasquez had been consuming alcohol, smoking marijuana, and snorting cocaine.

When the two men arrived at their destination, Vasquez states that he “blacked out.” During the time where he claimed to have blacked out, Vasquez claimed that voices began talking to him and instructed him to murder David Cardenas. In order to carry out the murder of Cardenas, Vasquez got his hands on a pipe and proceeded to strike the head of Cardenas with it multiple times.

Andres Chapa started to dig a shallow grave for the body of Cardenas. Not satisfied with just using a pipe to murder Cardenas, Vasquez proceeded to slit the 12-year-old boy’s throat. During his confession to police, Vasquez recounted the moment of the murder.

“He was still saying something, and I picked him up in the air. The blood was dripping and got it all over my face. So, I don’t know, I mean something just told me drink.”

The drinking of the blood of his victim is how Vasquez got the moniker of the vampire killer.

After Vasquez put down Cardenas, Chapa struck the boy in the face with a shovel multiple times. The two men began to work together in digging the grave for Cardenas and placed his body in it. Prior to placing the boy in the shallow grave, Vasquez removed the jewelry that Cardenas was wearing.

Texas police found the body four days later. According to the Texas police that found the murder victim, Cardenas was scalped, he was missing pieces of one of his feet and parts of his arms. Texas police received an anonymous tip which led them to Vasquez and Chapa. Vasquez and Chapa were arrested for the murder of Cardenas. Vasquez was given the death penalty, while Chapa was sentenced to 35 years. He did not get the death penalty due to the fact that he was a minor.

The last words spoken by Vasquez was to the parents of David Cardenas. From the Texas execution chamber, Vasquez said, “This is the only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here.”

Do you think that Texas was right in carrying out the execution of Vasquez?

[Image via AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File]

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