William A. Murray’s execution was set Friday for 6 p.m. September 17 by Dist. Judge Howard Tygrett.
Mr. Murray’s last appeal ended this week when the Supreme Court refused to hear his case, Kaufman County Asst. District Attorney Brian Corrigan said.
Mr. Murray, 39, was convicted in 1999 of robbing, beating, raping and strangling 93-year-old Rena Ratcliff. She was killed in her Kaufman home after she woke and confronted Mr. Murray as he ransacked her house, according to court documents.
He had only been out of prison a few months after serving three months of a 10-year term for burglary. He also had two earlier marijuana convictions.
Much of the appeal centered on his giving up the right to appeal. After the conviction and death sentence, Mr. Murray immediately gave up his right for appeals.
Mr. Murray said he was depressed and thinking about suicide when he waived his appeals. He later changed his mind and much of the appeal of the death sentence concerned his waiver.
A psychologist testified he had no reason to doubt Mr. Murray’s competence to waive the right of appeal.
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