A Texas appeals court has halted the execution of David Leonard Wood, who has spent over 30 years on death row for the killings of six girls and young women near El Paso. Wood had previously been close to execution in 2009, but claims of intellectual disability delayed the process. This latest stay of execution was granted after Wood’s renewed claims of innocence. The court did not provide further details on the decision.
Wood was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing the victims in the desert near El Paso, with their bodies found buried in shallow graves. He had been previously identified as the “Desert Killer” after bragging to a cellmate. Wood, a repeat convicted sex offender, has continuously proclaimed his innocence, and his lawyers have attempted to have DNA evidence tested for further analysis.
Despite the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declining to commute his sentence or grant a reprieve, Wood’s attorneys continue to fight for further testing of evidence. They argue that authorities ignored crucial evidence and focused solely on Wood as a suspect. Wood’s attorney, Gregory Wiercioch, asserts that Wood is innocent and hopes that the courts will listen to their case moving forward.
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