Ruben Gutierrez was born on June 10, 1977, in Fort Myers, Florida. He grew up in a challenging environment. Both he and his brother experienced abuse from their father. This difficult upbringing affected his mental health. At the age of 13, he developed an addiction to drugs. As a result of the abuse he endured as a child, he was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ruben became a father at a young age. He married his pregnant wife when he was just 17 years old. They had two children together. By the time he was 21, he was working as a security guard at a resort in South Padre Island. Gutierrez frequently visited the home of Escolastica Harrison, an 85-year-old woman who lived in Brownsville, Texas. He went there to socialize and help with errands. He often drank with her and her nephew and friends.

Escolastica Cuellar Harrison was murdered on September 5, 1998, in her home in Brownsville, Texas. Ruben Gutierrez, along with two accomplices, Rene Garcia and Pedro Gracia, planned to rob her. They believed that she had a large amount of cash, which she kept because she did not trust banks.

On the day of the murder, while Gracia waited outside in a getaway vehicle, Gutierrez and Garcia entered Harrison's house. They attacked her, using screwdrivers to stab her 13 times. Harrison suffered massive injuries and died from the assault. Afterward, they stole around $56,000 in cash from her home.

Later that night, Harrison's nephew discovered her body when he returned home. The police were called, and investigations began. An autopsy revealed that she died from the stab wounds. The police worked to gather information and witness statements. People reported seeing Gutierrez at the trailer park where Harrison lived on the day of the murder.

Four days later, Gutierrez went to the police station for questioning. He initially denied being at the trailer park but later confessed to being involved in the robbery and murder. He claimed he left before Harrison was killed. This led to the arrests of him and his accomplices.

Pedro Gracia was released on bail for cooperating with police but later disappeared and remains at large. Both Gutierrez and Garcia faced trial in 1999. Gutierrez was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death, while Garcia received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 40 years.

Ruben Gutierrez appealed his death sentence multiple times, maintaining his innocence regarding the killing. Despite claiming he was only involved in the robbery, he faced several scheduled execution dates, which were postponed for various legal reasons. His case has continued to draw attention, with appeals for DNA testing to prove his innocence still ongoing.

Gutierrez remains on death row, with a new execution date set for July 17, 2024. However, his legal team continues to seek stays of execution, arguing that new evidence could prove he did not commit the murder.