HUNTSVILLE, Tx -- There was no celebration, only somber faces as close friends of Officer Aubrey Hawkins left the death chamber in Huntsville after seeing the killer who took his life go to his death offering an apology to the slain officer's family.
George Rivas was executed for killing the officer. A spokesperson with the Texas Depatment of Criminal Justice read part of Rivas' last statement.
"To the Aubrey Hawkins family, I am sorry."
There was no mercy from Rivas more than a decade ago, when the killer and his band of escapees ambushed Hawkins on Christmas Eve as he responded to a robbery call, pumping nearly a dozen bullets into the young father, before running him down.
Once convicted Rivas asked for death as a form of feedom. The prosecutor who helped send him to death row, Toby Shook witnessed the execution, calling the lethal injection the only appropriate punishment.
"You have a career criminal who carried out this very violent crime, so this is the type of case that deserved this." Shook said.
This is also justice for Irving police officers who lost a comrade that day. Many of them stood outside the death chamber to pay tribute to the memory of their fallen colleague. Among them was the former chief, Lowell Cannaday.
"This does bring about a certain sense of satisfaction because this is about justice. We lost a family member. Aubrey was our brother,"Cannaday said.
In his last words, Rivas talked about his sister, his son and his wife, Cheri, who he married last week. He told her he loved and will see her again.
Copyright 2012 - KDAF-TV, Dallas
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
