Execution Report: Derrick Charles

Derrick Dewayne Charles, 32, was executed by lethal injection on 12 May 2015 in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of his girlfriend, her mother, and her grandfather in their home.

On Tuesday, 2 July 2002, Charles, then 19, went to the home of his 15-year-old girlfriend, Myeshia Bennett. After the teens had sex, Myeshia and her mother, Brenda Bennett, 44, left the house on an errand. Charles stayed in Myeshia's bedroom, unaware that her grandfather, Obie Bennett, 77, was at home. When Mr. Bennett discovered him, Charles beat him with his fists, a lamp, and two trophies, then he strangled him. He then waited in the house for three hours for the women to come home. When they did, he bound them with electrical cord. He then killed Myeshia by strangling her, beating her with stereo speakers, and dropping a television on her head. He then placed Brenda in a bathtub with water and dropped a plugged-in television into it. His attempt at electrocution failed. He then dragged Brenda through the house, sexually assaulted her with a toilet plunger, and strangled her with a ligature. He then drove away in Brenda's car.

On the morning of 6 July, Brenda's sister, Mae Bennett Hall, drove to Brenda's home, having been unable to reach her via telephone for three days. She noticed three newspapers in the yard, Brenda's car missing from the driveway, and an odor coming from the house. The police were called. Officers found Brenda bound, with a cord around her neck and tape over her mouth. Her pants and underwear were cut off. Myeshia's body was in one of the bedrooms. Her hands were tied behind her back. Another duct tape gag was in the room. Obie was found in the kitchen, with an electrical cord wrapped around his neck.

Charles was arrested the following day at a motel, where police also found Brenda Bennett's car. He initially denied any involvement, but when he was told that his bloody clothes had been found at his parents' home, he gave a detailed confession.

Charles was arrested several times as a juvenile for trespassing, burglary, theft, and assault. He was placed in custody of the Texas Youth Commission, a juvenile corrections agency. At age 18, he was convicted of burglary of a habitation and was sentenced to three years in prison. He was paroled in December 2001, nine months into his sentence and seven months before the killings. He met with his parole officer once. A warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to make any subsequent meetings.

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