A murderer used his last words to beg for forgiveness from his victim's family moments before receiving the lethal injection.
Forty-four-year-old death row inmate Rolando Ruiz was paid $2,000 to kill 29-year-old Theresa Rodriguez by her husband and brother-in-law back in 1992.
In a statement shortly before his death, he said: "Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am and the hurt that I have caused you and your family.
"May this bring you peace and forgiveness."
He then thanked his own family, before adding: "I am at peace. Jesus Christ is Lord. I love you all."
Aged 20, Ruiz was used as a hitman by brothers Michael and Mark Rodriguez who were hoping to collect a $400,000 life insurance policy from the death of Theresa. He shot her in the head in her home in San Antonio.
Both brothers were sentenced to life in prison and Ruiz was handed the death penalty. His lawyers tried one last-ditch effort to save his life, but it was rejected by the Supreme Court and his execution was carried out on Tuesday.
Parents of Theresa Rodriguez Credit: KSAT 12
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Speaking to CBS, the victim's mum, Susie Sanchez, said: "It's not going to bring her back, so it really doesn't mean very much."
His lawyers argued that the execution should be halted because his 22 years in solitary confinement violated the constitution.
According to Buzzfeed, his lawyers wrote in a petition to the court: "At this point, a quarter-century has elapsed since Mr. Ruiz committed a contract murder in 1992, two days after he turned 20 years old.
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"Mr. Ruiz has lived for over two decades under a death sentence, spent almost 20 years in solitary confinement, received two 11th-hour stays of execution, and has received four different execution dates."
Ruiz was the 541st person to be executed in Texas.