Texas Executes Second Cop Killer in Seven Days

Manuel Fernando Garza Jr., 34, struggled with Officer John Anthony “Rocky” Riojas, 37, in February 2001, gained control of his gun and fired once into his forehead.

April 16, 2015

Manuel Garza Jr. was executed for the murder of Officer John Anthony “Rocky” Riojas. (Photo: Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

A man sentenced to death by Bexar County, Texas, jurors who convicted him of killing a San Antonio police officer with his own gun was executed Wednesday evening in Huntsville.

Manuel Fernando Garza Jr., 34, struggled with Officer John Anthony “Rocky” Riojas, 37, in February 2001, gained control of his gun and fired once into his forehead, MYSanAntonio.com reports.

Riojas, a married father of two young children, died a few hours later at University Hospital.

Garza is the second cop killer executed in Texas in the last week. Kent Sprouse, convicted of the 2002 murder of a Dallas-area officer was executed last week.

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