Execution: Kevin Varga
David Carson
in Huntsville, Texas for killing a man during a robbery.
Late in the summer of 1998, Varga, then 29; his girlfriend, Venus
Anderson, 17; his friend Billy Galloway, 29; and Galloway's girlfriend
Deannee Bayless, 30 - all of whom were on probation or parole in South
Dakota - gathered up their belongings loaded up Galloway's car, and
left South Dakota, intending to travel to Mexico.
After a few days, the group arrived in Wichita, Kansas, and checked
into a hotel. They made plans to "roll" someone - i.e., to lure
someone back to the hotel to blackmail or rob him. Varga instructed
Anderson to choose someone who appeared old and weak, and not too
heavy. Varga then stayed in the hotel room, while Galloway, Bayless,
and Anderson went to a bar. Anderson and Bayless pretended to be
sisters. Anderson picked up David McCoy, 48, while Bayless pretended
to pick up Galloway. Bayless talked McCoy into returning to the hotel
with them. Once there, Varga emerged from the bathroom with a metal
pole and beat McCoy to death. The men then wrapped his body in a
blanket and put it in their car. They group then left Witchita,
driving both Galloway and McCoy's cars. After Galloway's car broke
down, they abandoned it in a parking lot with the body still inside.
On 7 September, the group arrived in Greenville, Texas. They decided
to roll another victim. Bayless and Anderson went to a motel, met
David Logie, 37, in the lounge, and convinced him to go eat with them.
With Bayless driving Logie's rental car, they left the parking lot
together. Varga and Galloway followed them in McCoy's car. After a
short time, Bayless pulled over near a building in a deserted area,
ostensibly so that she and Logie could have sex on the hood. Logie
exited the car with her. Varga and Galloway then appeared and began
attacking Logie. Galloway struck him with his fists and knocked him
down. He pleaded for his life for several minutes while Galloway beat
him. Varga then handed Galloway an object, and the beating continued
until Logie was dead. The group took Logie's wallet and credit cards
and dragged his body into the woods. They burned McCoy's car and left
Greenville in Logie's car. Police found a ball peen hammer and a tree
limb near the body.
The group proceeded to San Antonio. Bayless and Anderson used Logie's
credit cards at a shopping mall. Police followed them from the mall
and pulled them over in a parking lot. After the officer separated
them, Anderson confessed to the murders, and she and Bayless were
arrested. Varga and Galloway were subsequently arrested at a strip
club.
According to Anderson's testimony, the original plan the group devised
in Wichita was for her to lure a man back to the room and that once
his pants were down, Varga would emerge from hiding and blackmail him.
Before she left the room, however, she saw Varga swinging a metal pole
and heard him remark that it was "too long."
Anderson further testified that after McCoy's murder, her three
co-defendants began "jumping around and hugging each other and kissing
each other and coming up to me and hugging me and asking me if I was
all right and telling me it was all right ... the first murder was
always that way, you know..."
Varga had prior felony convictions in South Dakota for burglary and
grand theft. He was sentenced to 3 years and 10 years, respectively,
for those convictions. Police also testified to responding several
times to domestic dispute calls made by Varga's ex-wife, who accused
him of hitting her.
A jury convicted Varga of capital murder in November 2000 and
sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed
the conviction and sentence in June 2003. All of his subsequent
appeals in state and federal court were denied.
Billy John Galloway was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to
death. He is currently scheduled to be executed tonight (13 May 2010).
Deannee Anne Bayless was convicted of murder and sentenced to 40 years
in prison. She remains in custody as of this writing. Information
regarding Venus Joy Anderson's status was unavailable for this report.
David Logie's father, John, attended Varga's execution, as did Varga's
mother, Beth. A reporter described Varga as "upbeat and smiling" as
his execution began. "I know I took someone very precious to you," he
said to the victim's father in his last statement. "I wish what was
torn from you was not." He asked for forgiveness and said that God had
forgiven him. "You have to forgive me for you to gain the kingdom of
Heaven," he said. Varga told his mother that he would "go to sleep and
wake up with Jesus." He said "This is the only way God could save me,
Mom." After Varga thanked the warden, a chaplain, and God, the lethal
injection was started. Varga breathed a loud sigh and said "Oooh!
Thank, you Jesus. I'm going, Mom." He was pronounced dead at 6:19 p.m.
David Carson
(Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of
Criminal Justice, court documents, public records, Associated Press,
Rapid City Journal.)
--
Texas Execution Information
www.txexecutions.org
Turban Joe Balasootoe
JC is advised to be extra cautious.
Charlie
GOOD....lets fry some more debris while we're at it.