AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas man convicted of killing a strip club manager and another individual, whose actions once led to a significant lockdown of the entire state prison system, is set to be executed this Thursday. Richard Lee Tabler, aged 46, is poised to become the second inmate in Texas to receive execution in just over a week, with additional executions scheduled for later in April. The execution will take place by lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville.
Tabler was sentenced to death for the fatal shootings of Mohammed-Amine Rahmouni, 28, and his friend Haitham Zayed, 25, during Thanksgiving in 2004, in a remote area close to Killeen in Central Texas. Rahmouni was managing a strip club where Tabler had previously worked until he was barred from returning. The two men were reportedly lured to the meeting under the pretense of buying stolen stereo equipment, which was actually a trap set by Tabler.
In addition to the murders of Rahmouni and Zayed, Tabler also confessed to taking the lives of two teenage girls, 18-year-old Tiffany Dotson and 16-year-old Amanda Benefield, who worked at the same club. Although he was indicted in their deaths, he never faced trial. Throughout his time in prison, Tabler has expressed a desire to forgo further appeals and pursue his execution; however, he has wavered in this position multiple times, leading his attorneys to question his mental competency in making such choices.
Tabler’s history in the prison system includes at least two suicide attempts, and he had previously received a stay of execution in 2010. In a letter to the state Court of Criminal Appeals on December 9, 2024, he articulated his wish to avoid prolonging legal proceedings, stating he saw no benefit in continuing the legal struggle.
In a notable incident back in 2008, Tabler used a smuggled cellphone to contact state Senator John Whitmire, who is currently serving as the mayor of Houston. This led to one of the most extensive lockdowns in U.S. prison history, affecting over 150,000 inmates. During this event, some inmates were confined to their cells for weeks as law enforcement officials conducted sweeps of more than 100 facilities to confiscate contraband, including cellphones. Tabler had texted threats against Whitmire, indicating he knew personal information about the senator’s family.
As Tabler’s execution date approaches, it’s noteworthy that another man in Florida is also facing execution for murdering a couple during a fishing trip, witnessed by their young child, marking Florida’s first execution of the year. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) previously appealed Tabler’s case to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing he had not received adequate legal representation during earlier appeals due to attorneys who reportedly declined to partake in hearings, believing it was Tabler’s request.
The ACLU’s appeal included claims that medical professionals had diagnosed Tabler with a severe range of mental illnesses, which had gone unaddressed since childhood. However, the Supreme Court declined to delay his execution. Historical reports indicate that Tabler had a conflict with Rahmouni, who allegedly threatened Tabler’s family over a $10 contract.
To carry out the murders, Tabler enlisted a soldier friend from Fort Cavazos, misleading Rahmouni and Zayed into joining him for the purported purchase. He shot both men inside their vehicle and later dragged Rahmouni out, compelling his friend to film a second execution. Tabler’s confessions during his trial included details about the murders of Dotson and Benefield, whom he killed to prevent them from revealing his involvement. Prior to his arrest, he had even called local law enforcement to mock them about the homicides and issued threats against more employees at the strip club.
