HUNTSVILLE, Texas -- A member of the notorious "Texas 7" gang of escaped prisoners has been executed for the fatal shooting of a suburban Dallas police officer during a Christmas Eve robbery nearly 18 years ago.
Joseph Garcia received lethal injection Tuesday evening for the 2000 shooting death of Irving police Officer Aubrey Hawkins.
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The 47-year-old Garcia was part of a group of seven inmates who broke out of a South Texas prison December 2000 and committed numerous robberies before being captured, including the one during which they killed Hawkins.
The group was captured the following month. One inmate killed himself with police closing in, while the other six were convicted and sentenced to die. Four have been executed, including Garcia, and the other two are awaiting execution dates.