Admitted Murderer Executed:   A Texas man who apologized for murdering a 61-year-old woman during an eight day crime spree was put to death Wednesday.  The Associated Press reports that on June 29, 2010 Mark Anthony Soliz shot Nancy Weatherly in the back of the head as she begged for her life after he and an accomplice forced their way into her home.  Earlier that day the pair killed a deliveryman and stole a car as part of a spree that involved at least 13 crimes in the Fort Worth area.  Evidence supporting Soliz's conviction included his confession, fingerprints and ballistics.  His attorneys claimed that Soliz was not eligible for a death sentence because he was intellectually disabled, suffered from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and a troubled childhood.  Soliz was pronounced dead eighteen minutes after receiving a lethal dose of pentobarbital.     

Death Sentence for Ohio Double-Murderer:  An Ohio judge accepted a jury's recommendation Thursday and sentenced 26-year-old Kristofer Garrett to death for murdering his ex-girlfriend and 4-year-old daughter.  John Futty of the Columbus Dispatch reports that on January 5, 2018, Garrett ambushed Nicole Duckson and their daughter Kristina in their back yard, stabbing them repeatedly then leaving them to die in the snow.   An earlier Dispatch story reported that Garrett murdered the victims after receiving an email saying that he could face jail time if he failed to make his child-support payments.  Forensics indicated that Garrett stabbed Nicole 49 times during the attack and that the little girl was stabbed in the face.  Both victims had defensive wounds.  Faced with overwhelming evidence of guilt, including Garrett's confession, his attorneys claimed he was not guilty by reason of insanity.  No murderer in Franklin County has been sentenced to death since 2003.