Execution Report: Kent Sprouse

Kent William Sprouse, 42, was executed by lethal injection on 9 April 2015 in Huntsville, Texas for killing a police officer and another man at a gas station.

On 6 October 2002, Sprouse, then 30, stopped at a gas station and convenience store in Ferris, a small town in Ellis County on Interstate Highway 45 outside of Dallas. He entered the store with a shotgun hanging over his shoulder to make a purchase. A short time after returning to his vehicle, he fired the weapon in the direction of two men at a pay telephone on the premises. A customer, Brad Carroll, then approached Sprouse and asked him if he was okay. Sprouse responded that the gun was not real, and asked Carroll for help getting his car started. Carroll agreed and pulled his truck in front of Sprouse's car so that he could connect them with booster cables. Carroll then noticed several boxes of shotgun shells in Sprouse's vehicle. He determined that the gun was real and decided to leave. As he drove away, he heard another gunshot.

Another customer, Brandon O'Neill, was at the station, waiting to use the pumps. He saw Sprouse working on his vehicle and customer Pedro Moreno, 38, filling his truck with gas. O'Neill saw Sprouse attempting to speak to Moreno, but Moreno did not respond. Sprouse then reached into his car, pulled out a gun, and shot Moreno.

Ferris police officer Harry Steinfeldt, 28, quickly arrived at the station in response to a 9-1-1 call placed by the store clerk. He was in uniform and driving a marked police vehicle. Sprouse shot Steinfeldt twice with his shotgun when Steinfeldt turned toward his car. Steinfeldt returned fire from the ground with his pistol, then collapsed. Sprouse then walked to the side of the store. A second officer, Brad Lindsey, arrived at the scene and arrested Sprouse without further incident.

Both Moreno and Steinfeldt died from their injuries. Steinfeldt was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but the shots hit under his arm, in an area the vest did not cover.

While Sprouse was being taken to the hospital, he stated to the officer accompanying him that he had killed an undercover officer at the gas pumps and had shot a second officer in uniform. At the hospital, he told a nurse, "two cops got whacked."

A doctor at the hospital suspected that Sprouse was under the influence of drugs when he was admitted. Testing revealed that he had consumed amphetamines, methamphetamines, and cannabis within 48 hours of the killings.

At his trial, the defense argued that Sprouse was not guilty by reason of insanity. His lawyers introduced several witnesses, including his mother, who testified that he had shown signs of mental illness since late 2001 and early 2002, including talking to himself, outbursts of anger, and paranoia. His mother had him committed to a mental hospital in April or May of 2002, but he was released after 72 hours.

The prosecution presented rebuttal witnesses who testified that they observed or interviewed Sprouse and saw no signs of psychosis.

Sprouse had no prior arrests or criminal convictions. About three months earlier, however, two Ellis County sheriff's deputies were sent to Sprouse's home to investigate a disturbance. The deputies talked Sprouse into dropping a handgun he was holding and coming outside. No arrests were made.

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