Texas man executed for 'exorcism' killing of girlfriend's 13-month-old daughter

A Texas man was executed by lethal injection Thursday night at the state’s death chamber in Huntsville for the death of his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter, a killing prosecutors described as part of an exorcism ritual.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the inmate was pronounced dead after the sentence was carried out, following a capital-murder conviction in the case. The execution occurred at the state’s execution facility in Huntsville, ending a lengthy legal process that carried through numerous appeals before the death sentence was carried out.

Prosecutors said the infant died during a ritual intended to expel demons, a description that has appeared in court records for this case. The defense has contested aspects of the narrative in other cases, but the facts presented to the court centered on the alleged exorcism-tinged actions surrounding the child’s death. Family members of the victim did not release public statements as the execution proceeded.

The case has sparked renewed discussion about how authorities prosecute violence linked to religious or ritual claims in the United States and how the death penalty is applied in such circumstances. Texas has one of the country’s most active capital-punishment calendars, and observers often place this case within broader debates about criminal justice policy and the limits of state power in the most serious crimes. The Associated Press contributed to this report.