Latest news with #Tolleson
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Texas executes 'sadistic killer' Moises Mendoza for 20-year-old woman's murder
Texas has executed Sandoval Mendoza, a rapist and killer described by one prosecutor as one of the most "violent, sadistic men" he'd ever encountered." Mendoza, 40, was executed by lethal injection for the murder of 20-year-old Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson on March 18, 2004, in Farmersville, Texas, just northeast of Dallas. Mendoza is the third inmate executed in Texas this year and the 13th in the nation. He was pronounced dead at 6:40 p.m. CT. At the time of her death, Tolleson was a new mother to her 6-month-old daughter Avery. Mendoza used his last words to apologize to Tolleson's family. "I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle's life," he said. "To Avery ... I robbed you of a mother. I'm sorry for that. I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that. I want you to know I am sincere. I apologize." He addressed his family members by telling them he loves them and is with them. "I'm well and at peace. You know that I'm well and everything is love," he said, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Mendoza's case gained a sort of notoriety in the years since the murder. In 2006, it was featured in the 10th season of "Forensic Files" and in 2008, the Investigation Discovery series "Solved" highlighted the case. Here's what to know about Mendoza's execution, including more about who his victim was. 'I turned into the devil': More about Texas death row inmate Moises Mendoza In the early hours of March 18, 2004, Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson was at home with her 6-month-old daughter Avery in Farmersville, a small town about 40 miles northeast of Dallas. Tolleson and Avery lived there alone, as Rachelle was in the middle of a divorce with her then-husband Andrew Tolleson. Mendoza told police he let himself inside Tolleson's house through a back door that night, per court documents. The two left to get a pack of cigarettes, leaving baby Avery at home. Mendoza drove a little while before he began to choke Tolleson in his vehicle "for no reason," he said, according to court documents. He then drove the two to a field near his house, where he raped her before choking her again, court documents say. Mendoza then dragged Tolleson out of his truck and choked her again until he thought she was dead, Mendoza told police. To make sure, he "poked her throat" with a knife. Mendoza left her body in the field, where it remained for a few days before he was interviewed by police about Tolleson's disappearance, court records say. Paranoid, Mendoza wrapped Tolleson's body in a tarp and moved it to his cousin's land in a more remote area, just a few miles east of Farmersville. He then dumped the body in a "dug-out pit" and set it on fire to "destroy the fingerprints," he told police, The Courier Gazette reports. "I don't know what happened to me at that moment. I turned into the devil and after I did something that I thought was in a dream," Mendoza wrote in a letter to his parents, as published by The Courier-Gazette. A man searching for arrowheads found Tolleson's charred body a few days after Mendoza moved it, the newspaper reported. Mendoza was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Pam and Mark O'Neil, Tolleson's parents, described their daughter as a doting mother to Avery, according to court proceedings and archived stories. "She wanted more than anything in life to watch her baby take her first steps, say her first word, and she'll never get to hear her daughter call her Mommy," Pam O'Neil told Mendoza during his sentencing, per The Courier-Gazette. She later said in the 2006 "Forensic Files" episode that Avery was Tolleson's "oxygen." O'Neil said that she and Avery frequently watched home videos of Tolleson, including Avery's first and only Christmas with her mother, and looked through scrapbooks that Tolleson and O'Neil made together. "I don't think we'll ever heal. I don't think a mother ever truly heals from the loss of a child,' she told The Courier-Gazette in 2005. "I can't believe my grandbaby will grow up without a mother." The O'Neils did not immediately respond to requests to speak about their late daughter, but Mark has recognized Tolleson in several public Facebook posts over the years. In 2021, Mark shared a photo of Tolleson from her wedding day on Facebook. "Happy birthday to my beautiful daughter in heaven," he wrote. "I love you and miss you every day, baby girl." Neighbors described Mendoza as "hard-working" but said he changed as he got older, recounting a "violent argument" when he pinned down his mother and sister in their front yard, as previously reported by The Courier-Gazette. Mendoza graduated high school, where he did "fairly well," court documents state. He received a few high school scholarships and completed about nine months of heating and air-conditioning training upon graduating. In 2003, Mendoza was arrested for his involvement in two aggravated robberies on the Dallas College Richland Campus, according to The Courier-Gazette reporting. It was while he was out on bail for one of these robberies that Tolleson went missing, the 2006 "Forensic Files" episode explains. For much of their upbringing in northern Texas, Mendoza and Tolleson were actually in the same grade school classes, Tolleson's mother explained in "Forensic Files." And the Friday before Tolleson's murder, Mendoza had been at Tolleson's house for a party of about 15 people, court documents say. Clinical psychologist Mark Vigen described Mendoza as "immature" and "psychologically under-developed," claiming that Mendoza enjoyed getting away with "being sneaky" and got angry when others criticized him, court documents say. During Mendoza's sentencing, former Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Greg Davis described Mendoza as "one of the most violent, sadistic men" he'd ever helped convict. Contributing: Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ (This story was updated to include video.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Moises Mendoza, a 'sadistic killer,' executed in Texas
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
'I apologize': Texas death row inmate Moises Mendoza's last words before his execution
A Texas death row inmate's last words before his execution were an apology to the victim's family. Convicted rapist and killer Moises Sandoval Mendoza, 40, was executed by lethal injection Wednesday after spending five years on death row. He was pronounced dead at 6:40 p.m. CT, becoming the third inmate executed in Texas this year and the 13th in the nation. Mendoza was sentenced to death row for the murder of 20-year-old Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson on March 18, 2004, in Farmersville. Tolleson lived in the small town, about 40 miles northeast of Dallas, with her 6-month-old daughter, Avery. Here's what we know about Mendoza's final moments. Mendoza used his last words to apologize to Tolleson's family, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. "I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle's life," he said. "To Avery ... I robbed you of a mother. I'm sorry for that. I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that. I want you to know I am sincere. I apologize." He also addressed family members by telling them he loves them and is with them. "I'm well and at peace. You know that I'm well and everything is love." Mendoza's case gained a sort of notoriety in the years since the murder. In 2006, it was featured in the 10th season of "Forensic Files," and in 2008, the Investigation Discovery series "Solved" highlighted the case. More from death row: Austin man remains on death row after U.S. Supreme Court denies second petition In the early hours of March 18, 2004, Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson was at home with her infant daughter Avery. Tolleson and Avery lived alone, as Tolleson was in the middle of a divorce. Mendoza told police he let himself inside Tolleson's house through a back door that night, per court documents. The two left to get a pack of cigarettes, leaving baby Avery at home. Mendoza drove a little while before he began to choke Tolleson in his vehicle "for no reason," he said, according to court documents. He then drove the two to a field near his house, where he raped her before choking her again, court documents say. Mendoza then dragged Tolleson out of his truck and choked her again until he thought she was dead, Mendoza told police. To make sure, he "poked her throat" with a knife. Mendoza left her body in the field, where it remained for a few days before he was interviewed by police about Tolleson's disappearance, court records say. Mendoza wrapped Tolleson's body in a tarp and moved it to his cousin's land in a more remote area, just a few miles east of Farmersville. He then dumped the body in a "dug-out pit" and set it on fire to "destroy the fingerprints," he told police, The Courier Gazette reports. A few days later, a man searching for arrowheads found Tolleson's charred body, according to The Courier-Gazette. Mendoza was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Before his conviction and sentencing, Mendoza wrote to his parents, telling them he didn't have a reason for what he did. "I don't know what happened to me at that moment. I turned into the devil and after I did something that I thought was in a dream," Mendoza wrote, The Courier-Gazette reports. On April 2, Mendoza's lawyers asked for the opportunity to challenge Mendoza's conviction in federal court. At the time of her death, Tolleson was a new mother to her daughter Avery. Tolleson enjoyed activities like scrapbooking and shopping, but her mother Pam O'Neil said it was Avery who was "her oxygen." "Avery was her life and I was so proud of her when she became a mommy. Everything just came so naturally to her,' O'Neil told The Courier-Gazette about a year after Tolleson's death. "I hate that Avery won't have memories of her." O'Neil said that she and Avery frequently watched home videos of Tolleson, including Avery's first and only Christmas with her mother, and looked through scrapbooks that Tolleson and O'Neil made together. "She wanted more than anything in life to watch her baby take her first steps, say her first word, and she'll never get to hear her daughter call her Mommy," O'Neil said shortly after Tolleson's death. "I don't think we'll ever heal. I don't think a mother ever truly heals from the loss of a child,' she told The Courier-Gazette in 2005. "I can't believe my grandbaby will grow up without a mother." Pam O'Neil and Tolleson's father, Mark O'Neil, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's requests to speak about their late daughter, but Mark has recognized Tolleson in several public Facebook posts over the years. In 2021, Mark shared a photo of Tolleson from her wedding day on Facebook. "Happy birthday to my beautiful daughter in heaven," he wrote. "I love you and miss you every day, baby girl." Neighbors described Mendoza as "hard-working" but said he changed as he got older, recounting a "violent argument" when he pinned down his mother and sister in their front yard once, as previously reported by The Courier-Gazette. Mendoza graduated from high school, where he did "fairly well," court documents state. He received a few high school scholarships and completed about nine months of heating and air-conditioning training upon graduating. In 2003, Mendoza was arrested for his involvement in two aggravated robberies on the Dallas College Richland Campus, according to The Courier-Gazette. It was while he was out on bail for one of these robberies that Tolleson went missing, the 2006 "Forensic Files" episode explains. For much of their upbringing in north Texas, Mendoza and Tolleson were actually in the same grade school classes, Tolleson's mother, Pam O'Neil, explained in a 2006 "Forensic Files" episode that outlines Mendoza's case. And the Friday before Tolleson's murder, Mendoza had been at Tolleson's house for a party of about 15 people, court documents say. Clinical psychologist Mark Vigen described Mendoza during his trial as "immature" and "psychologically under-developed," claiming that Mendoza enjoyed getting away with "being sneaky" and got angry when others criticized him, as stated in court documents. During Mendoza's sentencing, former Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Greg Davis described Mendoza as "one of the most violent, sadistic men" he'd ever prosecuted. — USA TODAY's Greta Cross contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Moises Mendoza executed Wednesday: Texas death row inmate's last words
New York Post
24-04-2025
- New York Post
Texas killer is executed for the 2004 strangling and stabbing death of a young mother
A Texas man convicted of fatally strangling and stabbing a young mother more than 20 years ago was executed Wednesday evening as the victim's mother and other relatives looked on. Moises Sandoval Mendoza, 41, received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville and was pronounced dead at 6:40 p.m. He was sentenced to death for his conviction in the March 2004 killing of 20-year-old Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson. Moises Sandoval Mendoza was executed on Wednesday night. AP After a spiritual adviser prayed over him for about two minutes, Mendoza apologized repeatedly to the victim's two parents and other relatives present, calling to each by name. 'I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle's life,' he said, addressing the parents, one of her brothers, a cousin and an uncle watching through a window from an adjoining room. Mendoza also said he had robbed Tolleson's daughter of her mother, adding, 'I'm sorry for that. I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that. I want you to know that I am sincere. I apologize.' The daughter wasn't present for the execution. He then spoke briefly in Spanish, addressing his wife, his sister and two friends watching through a window from another witness room. 'I love you, I am with you, I am well and at peace,' he said in Spanish, his words provided in a transcript in English translation. 'You know that I'm well, and everything is love.' As the injection began, he could be heard making two loud gasps and then began snoring. After about 10 snores, all movement ceased and he was pronounced dead 19 minutes later. Prosecutors say Mendoza, 41, took Tolleson from her north Texas home, leaving her 6-month-old daughter alone. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters The infant was found cold and wet but safe the next day by Tolleson's mother. Tolleson's body was discovered six days later, left in a field near a creek. Evidence in Mendoza's case showed he also had burned Tolleson's body to hide his fingerprints. Dental records were used to identify her, according to investigators. Pam O'Neil, the victim's mother, told reporters after witnessing Mendoza's execution that it could not undo the loss of her daughter. Reading from a statement, she said of Mendoza: '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.' As Mendoza's relatives and friends left the prison, they appeared distraught and embraced one another. Hours earlier on Wednesday, the US Supreme Court denied a final request by Mendoza's attorneys to stop his execution. The 41-year-old died by lethal injection. TCJD/ MEGA Mendoza's attorneys told the justices in a filing that he had been prevented by lower courts from arguing that he had been denied effective assistance of counsel earlier in the appeals process. But the Texas Attorney General's Office told the Supreme Court that Mendoza's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel had previously been found 'meritless and insubstantial' by a lower federal court. Lower courts also had previously rejected his petitions for a stay. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on Monday denied Mendoza's request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty. Authorities said that in the days before the killing, Mendoza had attended a party at Tolleson's home in Farmersville, located about 45 miles northeast of Dallas. On the day her body was found, Mendoza told a friend about the killing. The friend called police, and Mendoza was arrested. Mendoza confessed to police but couldn't give detectives a reason for the killing, authorities said. He told investigators he repeatedly choked Tolleson, sexually assaulted her and dragged her body to a field, where he choked her again and then stabbed her in the throat. He later moved her body to a more remote location and burned it, they said. Mendoza was the third inmate put to death this year in Texas, historically the nation's busiest capital punishment state, and the 13th in the US. On Thursday, Alabama plans to execute James Osgood for the 2010 rape and murder of a woman.
Newsweek
24-04-2025
- Newsweek
Moises Mendoza Final Words Before Texas Execution
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Texas man convicted of fatally strangling and stabbing a mother more than 20 years ago was executed Wednesday evening. Moises Mendoza, 41, who was sentenced to death for the 2004 murder of 20-year-old Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson, received a lethal injection at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville, with members of the victim's and his own family present. Newsweek has contacted the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for comment outside of regular working hours. Moises Sandoval Mendoza was executed by lethal injection on Wednesday evening. Moises Sandoval Mendoza was executed by lethal injection on Wednesday evening. Uncredited left) and Kiichiro Sato right)/Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP (left and AP (right The Context Mendoza was the third person executed in Texas this year, and the 13th in the U.S. After the injection was administered, Mendoza was heard making two loud gasps and then began snoring, according to The Associated Press (AP). He subsequently stopped moving and was pronounced dead 19 minutes later at 6.40 p.m. What To Know In his final moments, Mendoza addressed each member of the victim's family by name — Tolleson's parents, one of her brothers, a cousin and an uncle. "I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle's life," he said, according to AP. He also apologized to Tolleson's daughter — who was not present at the execution — of having robbed her of her mother. "I'm sorry for that. I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that. I want you to know that I am sincere. I apologize," he said. He then spoke to his wife, his sister and two friends in Spanish. "I love you, I am with you, I am well and at peace," he said, according to an English translation. Prosecutors said that Mendoza had abducted Tolleson from her home in north Texas, leaving behind her six-month-old daughter, who was found unharmed by Tolleson's mother the following day. Six days after the abduction, Tolleson's body was discovered in a field near a creek. Investigators said Mendoza attempted to burn the body to destroy evidence, including his fingerprints. Identification was confirmed through dental records. Mendoza confessed to police shortly after Tolleson's body was discovered, telling investigators he had choked, sexually assaulted, stabbed her, and attempted to burn her body to conceal evidence. He was arrested after telling a friend about the crime, who then contacted authorities. Hours before the scheduled execution on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a final appeal by Mendoza's attorneys to stop the execution. The defense argued in court filings that Mendoza had been denied the chance to claim ineffective assistance of counsel during earlier stages of his appeal. Texas Attorney General's Office said the allegation had already been deemed "meritless and insubstantial" by a lower federal court. On Monday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declined Mendoza's request to commute his death sentence to a lesser punishment. What People Are Saying Pam O'Neil, the victim's mother, witnessed the execution and later told reporters: "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." Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said in a statement, according to the Texas Tribune: "Nothing can undo what Rachelle's loved ones have endured. But justice is not about erasing the past — it's about honoring the life that was taken." Abraham Bonowitz, director and co-founder of the anti-death penalty organization Death Penalty Action, told Newsweek: "No one is any safer because of this execution. The Moises Mendoza who was killed last night was not the same person who killed Rachel Tolleson 21 years ago. He took full responsibility for his crime and expressed deep remorse. Moises has been living his faith, had not been disciplined in prison for over 17 years and had many positive relationships with friends and family." He added: "Capital punishment is a failed public policy morally, economically and socially. Death Penalty Action opposes executions in all cases because government can't be trusted with the power to kill, to be consistent and fair in its application, or to get it right every time." What Happens Next On Thursday, Alabama plans to execute James Osgood for the 2010 rape and murder of a woman.
Daily Record
24-04-2025
- Daily Record
Murderer gives emotional last words minutes before death row execution
A killer finally apologised for murdering a young mum - minutes before he was executed on death row. Moises Sandoval Mendoza has spent more than 20 years in a state prison in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of Rachelle O'Neil Tolleson, whom he strangled and stabbed to death. Dental records were used to identify Ms Tolleson, 20, whose body was found beside a stream following the horrific ordeal in March 2004. Mendoza, 41, repeatedly apologised to family members yesterday, Wednesday, April 24, but watching from an adjoining the room, Ms Tolleson's mum blasted the killer after the execution stating nothing could undo the loss of her daughter, reports the Mirror. "I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle's life... I'm sorry for that. I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that. I want you to know that I am sincere. I apologise," Mendoza said before he received the lethal injection , and died 19 minutes later. The killer addressed Ms Tolleson's parents, one of her brothers, a cousin and an uncle by name in his poignant speech. Ms Tolleson's saughter, who was just six months old when her mum was killed, was not present. Mendoza then spoke in Spanish to address his wife, his sister and two friends watching through a window from a separate witness room. His words provided in a transcript in English translation, Mendoza said: "I love you, I am with you, I am well and at peace. You know that I'm well, and everything is love." Mendoza then had the injection and, after two loud gasps and approximately 10 snores, he became lifeless and was declared dead at around 6.40pm local time (12.40am Wednesday in UK). Pam O'Neil, the victim's mother, told reporters after witnessing Mendoza's execution that it could not undo the tragic loss of her daughter. Reading from a statement, she said of Mendoza: "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." Prosecutors say Mendoza snatched Ms Tolleson from her north Texas home, leaving her baby daughter alone. The infant was found cold and wet but safe the following day by Ms Tolleson's mother. Ms Tolleson's body was found six days later, left in a field near a stream. Evidence in Mendoza's case showed he also had burned Ms Tolleson's body to hide trace of his fingerprints. However, the young man was detained after he told a friend about the killing. He told investigators he repeatedly choked Ms Tolleson, sexually assaulted her and dragged her body to a field, where he choked her again and then stabbed her in the throat. The brute later moved her body to a more remote location and burned it. We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story. For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @Daily_Record - the official Daily Record Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Daily Record, Sunday Mail and Record Online Trinity Mirror is one of the largest multimedia publishers in the UK and Ireland with an award-winning portfolio of media brands.
