Texas executes sheriff's sergeant killer

HUNTSVILLE, Texas, March 11 (UPI) -- Texas Thursday executed Joshua Maxwell for the robbery and murder of Bexar County, Texas, Sheriff's Sgt. Rudolfo Lopes.

Maxwell and his girlfriend at the time, Tessie McFarland, killed Lopes and an Indiana man, Robby Bott, during a 2000 crime spree that began in Indiana and ended following a shootout with police in San Francisco, the San Antonio News-Express said.

McFarland, 30, is serving a life sentence.

Before he was put to death in Huntsville, Texas, Thursday, Maxwell apologized to his victims and their families.

"I hurt a lot of people with the decisions I made," he said. "I can't be more sorry than I am right now.

"This person who did that 10 years ago isn't the same person you see today," he said.

Lopes was 45 when he was killed in San Antonio in October 2000. A 15-year veteran in law enforcement, his body was found dumped behind a strip mall, authorities said. He had been shot in the head, bound and blindfolded.

Maxwell was the fourth person executed this year at Huntsville, the newspaper said.