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Two executions are scheduled for today in Texas and Oklahoma. In Texas, John Allen Rubio is set to be executed at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville for the 2003 murder of his three young children in Brownsville. Rubio, who was convicted of capital murder, believed the children were possessed and claimed he was the "chosen one" to save the world. His first conviction was overturned, but he was retried in 2010 and sentenced to death again. Rubio's common-law wife, Angela Camacho, was also convicted and is serving a life sentence. The apartment where the children were killed has since been demolished and turned into a park and community garden, as reported by The Seattle Times.
In Oklahoma, James Pavatt is scheduled for execution at the state penitentiary in McAlester. Pavatt was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the 2001 death of Rob Andrew, an advertising executive. Pavatt and Brenda Andrew, Rob's wife, were having an affair and plotted to kill him for life insurance money. Brenda Andrew is the state's only woman on death row. Pavatt claimed he was manipulated by Brenda and maintained his innocence at a clemency hearing, according to The New York Post.
Both executions highlight the ongoing use of the death penalty in the United States, which is expected to surpass 40 executions for the second consecutive year. This comes amid renewed attention to capital punishment, with some states reconsidering their stance on the issue. Fox 4 News reports that Rubio's defense attorneys recently sought a stay of execution, which was rejected by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.