Justice can be swift for some, like the New York thief who stole a teen’s iPhone and was struck by a train while fleeing from the scene. For others, it might take a bit longer. 18 years after a 12-year-old was brutally murdered, his convicted killer was formally executed in front of a small audience which included members of his family.
According to the Associated Press, 38-year-old Pablo Lucio Vasquez died by lethal injection on Wednesday for the crime of killing young David Cardenas and dismembering his body. When the warden asked for his final words, the Texan said, "I’m sorry to David’s family. This is the only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here."
On April 18, 1998, Vasquez attended a party with his 15-year-old cousin, Andres Rafael Chapa, who brought along his friend—Cardenas. After leaving and coming across a wooden shed, Vasquez says he heard voices telling him to kill the young boy. That’s when he bludgeoned the seventh grader with a pipe, slit his throat and drank his blood. "Something just told me to drink," he added, according to a police statement. Cardenas’ body was found five days later.
The execution came four hours after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from his lawyer. Chapa, who pleaded guilty to a murder-related charge, is currently behind bars serving out a 35-year sentence.
