Bio

Pedro Solis Sosa was born on December 27, 1951. In the years before his criminal activities, Sosa lived a life that led him to become involved in illegal acts, but the specifics of his youth, such as his education or early influences, are not widely known.

By the time he was in his thirties, Sosa's life took a violent turn. This change in his life trajectory eventually led to serious criminal behavior. However, much about his early influences and the events that shaped him remains a mystery.

Murder Story

On November 4, 1983, Pedro Solis Sosa and his accomplice Leroy Sosa targeted Deputy Sheriff Ollie F. Childress Jr. While driving on a rural road in Wilson County, Texas, they signaled Deputy Childress to stop his patrol car. When Deputy Childress complied, Sosa pointed a gun at him and forced him to move to the passenger seat.

They drove Deputy Childress to a dirt road. There, Sosa ordered him to exit his vehicle, remove his shirt, handcuff himself, and get into the trunk of his own patrol car. Sosa and Leroy Sosa then took the patrol vehicle and drove to the LaVernia State Bank. They robbed the bank but tried and failed to take two women as hostages.

After the robbery, Sosa and Leroy Sosa returned to the dirt road where they had parked. Sosa opened the trunk of the patrol car and shot Deputy Childress in the neck and head at close range because he had seen Sosa's face. Even after driving a short distance away, they returned to the patrol car so they could clean it. When Sosa saw that Deputy Childress was still moving, he shot him again in the neck and head.

Sosa was arrested on February 3, 1984. After his arrest, he confessed to his involvement in the murder. Leroy Sosa, arrested a bit earlier, also confessed and provided similar details about the incident. During the trial, Leroy testified that Sosa had shot Deputy Childress.

On November 27, 1984, a jury found Sosa guilty of capital murder. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection the following day. The legal process surrounding Sosa’s case continued for many years. Family members of Deputy Childress expressed their frustration over the long wait for justice. In 2005, when his fourth execution date was set, they hoped for closure. However, Sosa received another stay, leading to further delays in the execution process.