Who is Wesley Ruiz? Death row inmate who fatally shot Dallas cop Mark Nix in 2017 to be executed
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS: Wesley Ruiz, convicted for fatally shooting a Dallas police officer in 2007, is scheduled for execution on Wednesday, February 1, in Texas. The 43-year-old man is set to receive a lethal injection and the execution will be carried out amid legal complaints filed by Ruiz and two other death row inmates who claimed that the state uses expired drugs for legal injection.
Since 2008, Ruiz has been on death row following the tragic death of Mark Nix, a Dallas Police Senior Corporal who was shot and killed by Ruiz. The death row killer shot the officer in the chest after he slid off the road on the Dallas streets during a high-speed car chase. With nearly seven years of service in the law enforcement force in Dallas, the 33-year-old officer was engaged and soon to be married when he was killed, the Daily Mail reported.
READ MORE
Ruiz's execution and controversies
Despite the legal battle on the use of expired lethal injection drugs, Ruiz will be executed. In a failed attempt to halt the legal proceeding, the death row killer's attorneys argued that "racist" stereotypes were looked upon by the juror while deciding Ruiz's execution.
Nix's death comes after police officers attempted to pull Ruiz over as they spotted him driving a red Chevrolet that was similar in the description of the vehicle of a murder suspect. Ruiz, who sped away from the police, was stopped and he slid off the road. Using his police baton, the officer then tried to smash the window on the passenger side. Hitting Nix's police badge, the killer fired a single shot at the officer who was later pronounced dead at a hospital. In July 2008, Ruiz was sentenced to death, as per the Daily Mail report.
In connection to the controversial complaint filed by the death row inmates, the prison officials claimed that the supply of drugs by the state is safe. Austin's civil court judge initially agreed with the inmates' claim. However, another prison inmate, who was also in the litigation, has been scheduled for execution.
Who was Mark Nix?
Mark Nix was a Dallas Police Senior Corporal and a US Navy veteran of Operation Desert Storm. Nix previously worked as a security guard. Gabriel Luchiano, 55, who knew the death row killer said Nix was a "guardian angel" and 'it's still painful no matter what. Nothing is going to close it.'
Recalling how he was a quick responder to help people at northwest Dallas' convenience store, Luchiano spoke highly of Ruiz whom he worked along. Apart from Ruiz's death, there are seven executions set to take place later this year in Texas which includes one execution next week, according to the news outlet.