Bio

George Ochoa was born on August 6, 1974, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He grew up in a neighborhood that was known for gang activity. Ochoa was part of the Southside Locos gang during his teenage years.

Murder Story

In the early morning hours of July 12, 1993, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, George Ochoa and Osvaldo Torres entered the home of Francisco Morales and Maria Yanez. While the couple was asleep in their bedroom, Ochoa shot them with a firearm. Morales was shot 12 times, and Yanez was hit 11 times.

The gunfire awakened Yanez’s 14-year-old daughter, who called 911. After the call, she looked out into the hallway and saw two men. At first, she did not recognize them, but later identified Ochoa as the man in a black shirt. Meanwhile, Morales’ 11-year-old son saw Ochoa shoot his father, though he could not identify the shooter’s face.

Police arrived quickly at the scene after the 911 call. They found Ochoa and Torres walking nearby. They appeared nervous and sweaty. Witnesses reported seeing one of the men take a gun from the trunk of a car shortly before the murders. This gun was different from the one used in the shootings.

Both men were arrested and later charged with first-degree murder. During the trial, a jury convicted Ochoa and Torres on all counts. On March 21, 1996, both were sentenced to death for their roles in the murders. Ochoa also received a 20-year sentence for burglary.

Over time, tensions arose regarding Ochoa’s mental state. He faced several appeals and challenges regarding his competency. Despite these claims, courts ruled that he had the necessary mental capacity to be executed.

Ochoa was executed by lethal injection on December 4, 2012. His final words were, “I’m innocent.” He was pronounced dead shortly after the execution began.