HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A man convicted of the brutal murder of a young mother over two decades ago was executed in Texas on Wednesday night, with the victim’s family present to witness his final moments.
Moises Sandoval Mendoza, aged 41, was put to death by lethal injection at the Huntsville state penitentiary, officially declared deceased at 6:40 p.m. His execution came after being found guilty of the March 2004 murder of 20-year-old Rachelle O’Neil Tolleson.
Prior to the execution, a spiritual adviser spent two minutes praying over Mendoza. He then expressed deep remorse directly to the victim’s family members who were present, identifying them each by name. Addressing the parents, a sibling, a cousin, and an uncle observing through a window, he stated, “I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle’s life.” Mendoza also addressed Tolleson’s daughter, absent from the execution, apologizing for taking her mother and earnestly expressing his regret.
Turning to his own loved ones in attendance — his wife, sister, and two friends watching from another room— he spoke briefly in Spanish. His emotional farewell included assurances that he felt at peace and conveyed love to them.
As the injection commenced, Mendoza made audible noises, gasping twice before emitting sounds akin to snoring. He ceased all movement and was declared dead 19 minutes after the process began.
According to prosecutors, Mendoza had taken Tolleson from her home in north Texas, leaving her infant daughter alone and unattended. The child was discovered the next day by Tolleson’s mother, cold but unharmed. The tragic culmination came six days later when Tolleson’s remains were uncovered in a wooded area close to a creek. Authorities indicated that Mendoza had attempted to obscure evidence by burning the victim’s body, necessitating dental records for identification.
After witnessing the execution, Pam O’Neil, Tolleson’s mother, communicated to the press that Mendoza’s death did not erase the loss she felt. She read from a prepared statement, remarking, “He’s been on death row 20 years. That ended today. He was put to sleep. He felt no pain. I wish I could say the same about my daughter’s death.”
Friends and family of Mendoza, visibly shaken, comforted each other as they departed the facility.
Earlier on the same day, the U.S. Supreme Court had denied a last-ditch appeal from Mendoza’s legal team. His lawyers argued he had been denied the opportunity to argue ineffective assistance of previous counsel during his appeals process. The Texas Attorney General’s Office contended that his claims lacked merit, with a lower court previously dismissing them as insubstantial, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had rejected his request for clemency just two days before.
In the days leading to the murder, Mendoza had attended a party at Tolleson’s residence in Farmersville, northeast of Dallas. On the day her body was discovered, Mendoza confided in a friend about the murder, leading to his arrest after the friend contacted the police. Despite confessing to the crime, Mendoza could not provide investigators with a motive, though he chronicled the crime details.
Mendoza described how he had choked Tolleson multiple times, sexually assaulted her, and left her in a field before further strangling her and stabbing her in the throat. He subsequently relocated and attempted to destroy her body.
This execution marks the third carried out in Texas this year, sustaining the state’s historical frequency of capital punishment, and the 13th execution in the nation for the year. Looking ahead, an execution in Alabama is scheduled for Thursday, involving James Osgood for a crime committed in 2010.