Bio

Ramon Montoya Facundo was born in 1945 and was a Mexican citizen. By 1983, Montoya was living in Texas. Montoya’s case later became controversial because he was a Mexican national sentenced to death in Texas. The Mexican government, the Vatican, and human-rights groups appealed for clemency before his execution. Mexico opposed the death penalty, and Montoya became the first Mexican citizen executed in Texas in more than 50 years.

Murder Story

On January 16, 1983, Dallas police officer John R. Pasco saw Ramon Montoya carrying a gun on the street in Dallas, Texas. Officer Pasco attempted to stop him and take the weapon. During the encounter, Montoya shot Pasco in the head. Pasco was taken to a hospital but died about six hours later.

Montoya was arrested about 45 minutes after the shooting, only a few blocks from the scene. Reports stated that he was trying to avoid arrest at the time. Police records later indicated that he had a history of prior arrests and that he may have feared deportation to Mexico if taken into custody.

Montoya was convicted of killing Officer Pasco and sentenced to death. His appeals challenged parts of the case, including issues related to his confession and legal rights, but the courts did not overturn the sentence. He came close to execution in January 1993, but Justice Antonin Scalia issued a temporary reprieve so the United States Supreme Court could consider whether to review his appeal. The Court later declined to take the case.

The case drew attention outside the United States because Montoya was a Mexican citizen. Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, the Vatican, and other groups asked Texas to stop the execution. Texas Governor Ann Richards rejected the clemency requests. Mexico’s government strongly objected to the execution because Mexico did not use the death penalty for civilian crimes.

Ramon Montoya Facundo was executed by lethal injection in Texas on March 25, 1993. He was 38 years old. His final words were directed to his father, Paz Montoya. He said, “May God help us,” and then, “I’m ready.” He was pronounced dead shortly after the lethal injection was administered.

The execution caused protests in Texas and anger in Mexico. Reports at the time described Montoya as the first Mexican citizen executed in Texas in 51 years. His case became part of the broader debate over the death penalty, foreign nationals, and the treatment of Mexican citizens in the United States criminal justice system.