Juan Martin Garcia, a 35-year-old male of Salvadoran descent, was executed on October 6, 2015, for the capital murder of Hugo Solano, a 36-year-old Christian missionary from Guadalajara, Mexico. The incident occurred on September 17, 1998, when Garcia, along with three accomplices, attempted to rob Solano in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Houston, Texas. Solano, who had recently moved to Houston to provide a U.S.
education for his children, was shot three times by Garcia after refusing to hand over his wallet. Garcia and his accomplices managed to steal only $8 from Solano.
Garcia had a history of criminal activity, including assault, making a "terroristic threat" towards a teacher, theft, and trespassing. He was a gang member and had been involved in several aggravated robberies and two attempted murders in the weeks before and after Solano's murder. Garcia was arrested 11 days after the murder when he was found with the murder weapon during a traffic stop. He confessed to the crime after his arrest.
During his trial, Garcia's attorneys argued that he suffered from ineffective counsel and was intellectually disabled, making him ineligible for the death penalty. However, these appeals were unsuccessful, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied his request for clemency. Garcia was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit, becoming the 11th death row prisoner to be executed in Texas in 2015. Before his execution, Garcia apologized to Solano's widow and daughter, expressing remorse for his actions.
