Coy Wayne Wesbrook

Coy Wayne Wesbrook
Born (1958-02-01)February 1, 1958
Houston, Texas
Died March 9, 2016(2016-03-09) (aged 58)
Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas
Criminal penalty Death
Killings
Date November 13, 1997
Location(s) Channelview, Texas
Killed 5
Weapons .30-06 hunting rifle

Coy Wayne "Elvis" Wesbrook (February 1, 1958 – March 9, 2016) was an American mass murderer, convicted of fatally shooting his ex-wife, her female roommate and three men in Channelview, Texas (in Greater Houston), on November 13, 1997.[1]

Murder rampage

On November 13, 1997, Wesbrook was asked by his estranged wife, Gloria Jean Coons, to visit her. When he arrived at her house, he found her having a party with three other males and two females. Wesbrook, who had gone there with hopes of rebuilding the relationship with Coons, went into a rage when the party's attendees began to mock him because Coons had cheated on him in the bedroom. At some point in the evening, Wesbrook noticed that his ex-wife and two of the men had slipped away, and when he went into the bedroom, he found her having sex with both of the men. Wesbrook then went to his truck and pulled out his .30-06 hunting rifle and returned to the residence. He then fatally shot his ex-wife, all three of the males and another female in the residence. At about 2 a.m., a neighbor heard the gunfire, grabbed a cellular phone, went next door, saw the bodies, and called 911. Wesbrook was arrested at the scene.

The victims were Coons, Antonio Cruz, Kelly Hazlip, Diana Ruth Money, and Anthony Rogers. Money was Coons's roommate.[2][3][4]

Trial and conviction

The Ellis Unit housed the State of Texas death row for men until mid-1999.
Allan B. Polunsky Unit houses the State of Texas death row for men.
Huntsville Unit, where Wesbrook was put to death

Wesbrook's trial began in 1998. Due to his low IQ, the defense asked the jury to show mercy for Wesbrook. However, the prosecution said that Wesbrook had been fully aware that what he was doing was wrong and that made him fully responsible for his actions. The prosecution immediately sought the death penalty.[5] The jury found Wesbrook guilty and fully responsible for his actions and recommended the death sentence.[5] On September 2, 1998, Wesbrook was sentenced to death.[5]

He arrived on death row on September 2, 1998.[6] Wesbrook was initially located in the Ellis Unit, but was transferred to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit (formerly the Terrell Unit) in 1999.[7]

Despite his low IQ and disputed testimony of Dr. George Denkowski, Wesbrook was not granted another trial.[8][9]

On the afternoon of March 9, 2016, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a last-minute appeal that had been filed because of concerns over Wesbrook's possible mental impairment.[10] Wesbrook was executed by lethal injection that evening.[11] He was pronounced dead at 8:04 PM.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Grisson, Brandi (2 April 2012). "Appeals Court Orders Re-evaluation of Death Row Case". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Coy Wesbrook, convicted killer of five executed ." KHOU. March 9, 2016. Retrieved on March 9, 2017.
  3. ↑ National Post report confirms full name as Diana Ruth Money
  4. ↑ Daily Wail report ditto
  5. 1 2 3 "Texas Execution Information Center". Texas Execution Information Center News. Texas Execution Information Center News. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Wesbrook, Coy Wayne." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on February 12, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Death Row Facts." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Killer of 5 Gets Another Shot to Dodge Death". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Appeals Court Orders Re-evaluation of Death Row Case". Texas Tribune. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Latest: Texas man executed for 1997 rampage that killed 5". ABC News. March 9, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  11. ↑ DPIC. "Upcoming Executions". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
  12. ↑ Reece, Kevin. "Coy Wesbrook, convicted killer of five executed ." KHOU-TV. March 9, 2013. Retrieved on March 9, 2016.

External links

Legal documents:

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