Execution Report: Marvin Wilson

Marvin Lee Wilson, 54, was executed by lethal injection on 7 August 2012 in Huntsville, Texas for the abduction and murder of a 21-year-old man.

On 4 November 1992 in Jefferson County, police officers served a search warrant on Wilson's apartment. They obtained the warrant based on information from Jerry Williams, a confidential informant. Williams entered and left the apartment minutes before the police went in. Wilson, Vincent Webb, and a juvenile female were present. The officers found over 24 grams of cocaine and arrested Wilson and Webb for possession of a controlled substance. Wilson was subsequently released on bond.

Some time later, Wilson told Terry Lewis that someone had "snitched" on him. Wilson told her the snitch was never going to have the chance to "have someone else busted," and that he "was going to get him."

On 9 November 1992, Wilson, then 34, confronted Williams, 21, in the parking lot of a grocery store. According to eyewitnesses, Wilson stood over Williams and beat him, saying "What do you want to be a snitch for? Do you know what we do to a snitch? Do you want to die right here?"

Williams managed to run away from Wilson and made it across the street to a field. Terry Lewis's husband, Andrew, drove his car to the field while Wilson chased Williams and caught up to him. Wilson and Andrews forced Williams into the car. Wilson asked Lewis, "Where's the gun?" and said that he wanted to kill Williams. They then drove toward a refinery.

Vanessa Zeno and Denise Ware, who witnessed the beating from the grocery store parking lot, reported that they later heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the direction of the refinery.

Williams' nude body was discovered the next morning. The autopsy showed that he died from close range gunshots to the head and neck.

Zeno, Ware, and the other eyewitnesses testified at Wilson's trial. In addition, Terry Lewis testified that Wilson confessed to the killing in front of her and her husband. "Baby, you remember the nigger I told you I was going to get? I did it. I don't know if he dead or what, but I left him there to die." When she looked at her husband, Wilson said, "Don't be mad at Andrew, because Andrew did not do it. I did it."

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