1959 - 2002
Summary
Name:
Rigoberto Sanchez-VelascoYears Active:
1986 - 1995Birth:
January 04, 1959Status:
ExecutedClass:
MurdererVictims:
3Method:
Strangulation / StabbingDeath:
October 02, 2002Nationality:
Cuba1959 - 2002
Summary: Murderer
Name:
Rigoberto Sanchez-VelascoStatus:
ExecutedVictims:
3Method:
Strangulation / StabbingNationality:
CubaBirth:
January 04, 1959Death:
October 02, 2002Years Active:
1986 - 1995Date Convicted:
August 18, 1988Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco was born on January 4, 1959, in Cuba. He grew up in a time when the country was undergoing significant political changes. In April 1980, Sanchez-Velasco was one of many who participated in the Mariel boatlift, which allowed Cuban citizens to leave the country and escape from the oppressive government. He immigrated to Miami, Florida, seeking a better life.
Upon arriving in the United States, Sanchez-Velasco encountered challenges. He struggled to adapt to his new environment and faced difficulties related to being an immigrant. In 1982, he was arrested for burglary and grand theft in Broward County, Florida. This marked the beginning of his troubles with the law in the United States.
Sanchez-Velasco later began living with a woman named Marta Molina, and her 11-year-old daughter, Katixa "Kathy" Ecenarro, became a part of his life. Despite being in a family setting, there were underlying issues that would later lead to tragedy.
In December 1986, Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco was arrested for the murder of 11-year-old Katixa "Kathy" Ecenarro. She was the daughter of his live-in girlfriend. Sanchez-Velasco confessed to raping and strangling her, but he later recanted this confession. He was convicted in 1988 and sentenced to death for Kathy's murder.
While on Death Row, he killed two fellow inmates in 1995. The victims were Edward Kaprat and Charles Street. Sanchez-Velasco used a homemade knife to stab them. He received two additional 15-year sentences for these murders, but of course, they did not change his status on Death Row.
Sanchez-Velasco spent years trying to expedite his execution by dropping his legal appeals. He expressed his desire to die rather than remain in prison. In 2002, after being declared competent by a panel of psychiatrists, his execution was scheduled.
On October 2, 2002, Sanchez-Velasco was executed by lethal injection. Before the execution, he was visited by family and a priest. His last words were, "I love you, everybody." He was pronounced dead shortly after the procedure began.
