A man convicted of murdering a young Brazilian immigrant couple in Texas was executed on Tuesday by lethal injection, prison officials said.
Michael Sigala, 32, was convicted in 2001 of the murders in a Dallas, Texas suburb.
On August 22, 2000, he broke into the apartment of Kleber Dos Santos and his wife Lilian. He killed Kleber Dos Santos and proceeded to sexually assault and kill his wife and steal jewellery from their home.
Authorities caught Sigala a few months later when he sold some items he had stolen, including the couple's wedding rings.
Sigala was declared dead at 06:20 pm local time Tuesday according to a Texas correctional department statement, after a last meal that included deep-fried burritos and chocolate pudding.
He was the third death row inmate executed in Texas this year.
The state has executed 450 inmates since the death penalty was reestablished in 1976.
Sigala asked for forgiveness from his victims' families before being executed.
"I would like to ask for forgiveness of the family," the corrections department quoted him as saying in his last statement. "I have no reason for why I did it. I don't understand why I did it. I hope that you can live the rest of your lives without hate."
{{/usCountry}}"I would like to ask for forgiveness of the family," the corrections department quoted him as saying in his last statement. "I have no reason for why I did it. I don't understand why I did it. I hope that you can live the rest of your lives without hate."
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