Bio

Edgar Arias Tamayo was born on July 22, 1967. He was raised in Mexico and later moved to the United States. Tamayo's early life included living in difficult circumstances. Information about his childhood is limited, but his upbringing has been described as one without significant trouble or hardship. His parents indicated that he did not want for basic necessities like food and shelter.

In his youth, Tamayo moved to the United States, where he began to encounter legal issues. He had a criminal history that included convictions for robbery. Tamayo was imprisoned for aggravated robbery in California. After serving time, he was released on parole.

Prior to his arrest in 1994, Tamayo was living in Texas. His life leading up to this point included encounters with the law. However, specific details about his personal relationships, education, and daily life are not readily available.

Murder Story

On January 31, 1994, Edgar Arias Tamayo was involved in a robbery at a bar in Harris County, Texas. After the robbery, a Houston police officer named Guy P. Gaddis arrested Tamayo and another man. They were searched and handcuffed, then placed in the back seat of a patrol car. While Gaddis stopped to make a phone call, Tamayo managed to pull a gun from his waistband, despite still being handcuffed.

When Officer Gaddis returned to the vehicle, Tamayo shot him multiple times. The patrol car crashed into a nearby residence. Tamayo escaped by breaking a window of the patrol car. However, he was captured shortly after running down the street while still in handcuffs. Officer Gaddis was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

During the investigation, Tamayo gave two written statements admitting to possessing the gun and shooting Officer Gaddis, acknowledging that he knew Gaddis was a police officer. Evidence showed that he had purchased the gun days before the incident.

Tamayo was indicted by a grand jury on September 27, 1994, and after a trial, he was found guilty of capital murder. He was sentenced to death on November 1, 1994. Over the years, his legal team filed multiple appeals, but they were mostly denied.

Finally, on January 22, 2014, Tamayo was executed by lethal injection. He did not make a final statement before his execution and was reported to have said that he was ready to go. He had spent nearly 20 years on death row.