In a harrowing incident that unfolded in November 2001 at an El Paso, Texas Walmart, the tranquility shattered when 5-year-old Alexandra Flores was snatched away. David Renteria, now 53, stands convicted for the heart-wrenching abduction, strangulation, and the appalling act of burning her innocent body.
He contends he was coerced by the Barrio Azteca gang, but the evidence presented during the trial firmly linked him as the sole perpetrator of this heinous crime.
Tragically, Alexandra's lifeless body was discovered in an alley, a chilling 16 miles away from the store where her family was Christmas shopping.
The investigation uncovered damning evidence: Renteria's van contained the blood of the young girl, a stark match to her DNA, and his palm print was chillingly found on the bag used to suffocate her before the horrendous act of setting her on fire.
Adding a distressing layer to this already grim picture, it emerged that Renteria was a convicted sex offender on probation at the time.
With Renteria's scheduled execution looming, his legal team launched appeals, citing newly surfaced evidence and their inability to access crucial files from the prosecution, which they alleged contained information about the gang's involvement in Alexandra's death.
However, despite these efforts, the courts stood firm, upholding the death sentence, despite contested witness statements and claims of innocence.
Renteria's case became a battleground in the legal arena, witnessing a temporary stay order and subsequent reversals. Despite fervent pleas for clemency, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously voted against commuting his sentence or granting any reprieve.
The tragic saga underwent a re-sentencing trial in 2008, where Renteria was once again handed the sentence of death. If the execution is carried out, Renteria will mark the eighth in Texas and potentially the 23rd in the entire United States for the year.
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