Bio

Milton Wuzael Mathis was born on March 11, 1979, in Texas and grew up in Harris County. He left school after the eighth grade and worked low-wage jobs, including as a cook, mechanic’s helper, and laborer.

Later legal records described a troubled childhood marked by poor school performance, disciplinary problems, and difficulty with reading, writing, and math. His attorneys later argued that he had significant intellectual limitations, while prosecutors disputed those claims.

Mathis also had a history of drug abuse, including PCP and other substances. Before the murders, he had prior criminal offenses that included aggravated robbery, assaults, thefts, and resisting arrest. At 19 years old, Mathis became involved in the 1998 Fort Bend County shooting case that led to his conviction and death sentence.

Murder Story

On December 15, 1998, Milton Mathis entered a known drug house in Fort Bend County, Texas, where several people were gathered. During the morning, gunshots were heard from a bedroom, and witnesses said Mathis emerged holding a .45 caliber pistol after Travis Brown III had been shot in the head.

Mathis then forced the remaining people into another room. He shot 15-year-old Melanie Almaguer in the head, leaving her permanently paralyzed, and then shot Daniel Hibbard, killing him. He also tried to shoot Melanie’s mother, Esmerelda Lester, but the gun failed to fire.

After the attacks, Mathis searched the house, set fire to Brown’s room, threatened the survivors, and fled in Brown’s car. Witnesses later identified him as the shooter.

At trial, Mathis eventually admitted shooting all three victims and stealing the car, but claimed self-defense and panic. The jury rejected his account and found him guilty of capital murder.

He was sentenced to death in 1999. After years of appeals, Milton Mathis was executed by lethal injection in Texas on June 21, 2011.