Coy Wayne Wesbrook
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Coy Wayne Wesbrook | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | March 9, 2016 | (aged 58)
Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
Other names | Elvis |
Spouse |
Gloria Jean Coons
(m. 1995; div. 1996) |
Criminal charge | Capital murder |
Penalty | Death (September 2, 1998) |
Details | |
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 for the killing of five people in Channelview, Texas on November 13, 1997. Wesbrook fatally shot his ex-wife Gloria Jean Coons, her female roommate, and three men during a party at Coons' home in an apparent fit of jealous rage.
Wesbrook was sentenced to death in 1998, and was executed by lethal injection in 2016.[1] The case was controversial due to questions about Wesbrook's intelligence being low enough that a death sentence was improper.
Murders
According to his testimony, Wesbrook went to visit his ex-wife, Gloria Jean Coons, at her home in Channelview, Texas, in the Greater Houston area. He was invited to a party at Coons' apartment along with other friends Diana Ruth Money, and three other males. Wesbrook had gone there with hopes of rebuilding the relationship with Coons, but 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 Coons having sex with both of the men. While they were mocking him they were playing "keep away" with his keys, tossing them back and forth to each other, preventing him from leaving. He was able to get his keys back and he left. A very short time later he returned in his truck and pulled out his .30-06 hunting rifle and returned to the residence, where he then fatally shot his ex-wife, all three of the males, and Money in the residence. At about 2 a.m., a neighbor heard the gunfire, grabbed a cell phone, went next door, saw the corpses, and called 911. Wesbrook was arrested at the scene, and it is unknown whether his testimony is accurate or not. There were two witnesses that called 911. The first witness lived upstairs and heard Wesbrook kick open the door and fire off two shots. Knowing exactly what the sound was the neighbor called 911 and while on the line, the dispatcher heard the other three shots ring out.[2][3][4]
Victims
Gloria Jean Coons, 32 (Ex-wife)[5]
Antonio Cruz, 35
Anthony Rogers, 41
Diana Money, 43
Kelly Hazlip, 28 (hospitalized with critical injuries, died later.)
Trial and conviction
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/EllisUnitTX.jpg/220px-EllisUnitTX.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/PolunskyUnitWestLivingstonTX.jpg/220px-PolunskyUnitWestLivingstonTX.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/HuntsvilleUnitHuntsvilleTX.jpg/220px-HuntsvilleUnitHuntsvilleTX.jpg)
In 1998, Wesbrook's trial began, and 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.[6] The jury found Wesbrook guilty and fully responsible for his actions and recommended the death sentence, and on September 2, 1998, Wesbrook was sentenced to death, being placed on death row the same day.[6][7] Wesbrook was initially located in the Ellis Unit, but was transferred to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit (formerly the Terrell Unit) in 1999.[8]
Despite his low IQ and the disputed testimony of Dr. George Denkowski, Wesbrook was not granted another trial.[9][10] On 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.[11] Wesbrook was executed by lethal injection that evening, and was pronounced dead at 8:04 PM.[12][13]
See also
References
- ^ Grisson, Brandi (April 2, 2012). "Appeals Court Orders Re-evaluation of Death Row Case". Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ Michael H. Stone & Gary Brucato. The New Evil: Understanding the Emergence of Modern Violent Crime (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2019), pp. 33-34.
- ^ After 17 years on Texas’ death row, a man who murdered his ex-wife is ‘looking forward’ to execution Archived April 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine"Coy Wesbrook, convicted killer of five executed Archived March 10, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." KHOU. March 9, 2016. Retrieved on March 9, 2017.
- ^ National Post report Archived April 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine confirms full name as Diana Ruth Money
- ^ "The Victoria Advocate - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "Texas Execution Information Center". Texas Execution Information Center News. Texas Execution Information Center News. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
- ^ "Wesbrook, Coy Wayne Archived 2016-03-16 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on February 12, 2016.
- ^ "Death Row Facts Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on February 4, 2016.
- ^ "Killer of 5 gets another shot to dodge death". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- ^ "Updated: Court Orders Review of Death Row Case Involving Reprimanded Psychologist". Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- ^ "Latest: Texas man executed for 1997 rampage that killed 5". ABC News. March 9, 2016. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
- ^ Reece, Kevin. "Coy Wesbrook, convicted killer of five executed Archived 2016-03-10 at the Wayback Machine ." KHOU-TV. March 9, 2013. Retrieved on March 9, 2016.
- ^ DPIC. "Upcoming Executions". Death Penalty Information Center. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
External links
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Offender Information: Coy Wayne Wesbrook
- Hoffberger, Chase. "Death Watch: Heat of the Moment Coy Wesbrook's mental deficiencies make his pending execution a "travesty," claims his lawyer." Austin Chronicle. March 4, 2016.
- Killer of 5 gets another shot to dodge death Associated Press at the Houston Chronicle. April 4, 2012.
- "Death Row Inmate Interview." Texan News Service (Tarleton State University Department of Journalism). February 18, 2016 - Interview of Wesbrook
Legal documents:
- "Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas,En Banc. Coy Wayne WESBROOK, Appellant, v. The STATE of Texas. No. 73205. Decided: September 20, 2000."
- "United States Court of Appeals,Fifth Circuit. Coy Wayne WESBROOK, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Rick THALER, Director, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division, Respondent-Appellee. No. 08-70024. Decided: October 13, 2009"
- "Ex parte Coy Wayne Wesbrook (Other)" - Justia - PDF (Archive (Archive)
- 1958 births
- 2016 deaths
- American mass murderers
- Executed mass murderers
- American people convicted of murder
- Attacks in the United States in 1997
- People convicted of murder by Texas
- Executed American people
- People executed by Texas by lethal injection
- 1997 murders in the United States
- 1997 mass shootings in the United States
- People from Houston
- 21st-century executions by Texas
- 21st-century executions of American people
- Mass shootings in the United States