Man Executed in Texas for 1989 Murders

Garcia Glenn White, a Texas man convicted of murdering twin teenage girls in 1989, was executed by lethal injection, marking the sixth execution in the United States in just 11 days.

At a Glance

Garcia Glenn White was executed following the 1989 murders of 16-year-old twins Annette and Bernette Edwards.
White was pronounced dead at 6:56 p.m. CDT on Tuesday after receiving a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas
In his final moments, White apologized for his crimes and sang a hymn
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected three last-ditch appeals to halt the execution
This execution marked the sixth in the U.S. in 11 days, indicating a recent surge in capital punishment

Execution Held After 35 Years

After more than three decades on death row, Garcia Glenn White faced execution for his crimes on October 1. White, 61, was executed by lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, following the 1989 murders of 16-year-old twins Annette and Bernette Edwards. He was also reportedly linked to three other murders, including that of the girls’ mother, Bonita Edwards. The execution, carried out at 6:56 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, brings closure to a case that has haunted the victims’ families for 35 years.

White’s execution comes amid a recent surge in capital punishment across the United States, with six inmates executed in just 11 days. This uptick in executions underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the death penalty and its application in our justice system.

Garcia White, 61, was executed for the December 1989 killings of Annette and Bernette Edwards. He also confessed to killing their mother, another 27-year-old woman and a Houston store owner. https://t.co/lM3VGCpjU7

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) October 2, 2024

A Brutal Crime and Its Aftermath

The details of White’s crimes shocked the community and left an indelible mark on those involved in the case. According to court records, White went to the Edwards’ home to smoke crack cocaine with Bonita Edwards. When the twin girls emerged from their room, White attacked and fatally stabbed the girls. The mother was also reportedly stabbed in the home. Evidence also suggested that White assaulted one of the twins, Bernette Edwards.

“Garcia Glenn White committed five murders in three different transactions and two of his victims were teenage girls. This is the type of case that the death penalty was intended for,” according to Josh Reiss, chief of the post-conviction writs division with the county DA’s office.

Edwards was also linked to the deaths of Greta Williams in 1989 and grocery store owner Hai Van Pham in 1995. These additional cases came to light after White’s arrest and subsequent confession.

Final Moments and Apology

In his final moments, White expressed remorse for his actions and sought forgiveness from his victims’ families. “I would like to apologize for all the wrong I have done, and for the pain I’ve caused,” White said in his last statement. He also sang a hymn, “I Trust in God,” and urged his family and friends to “keep pushing forward, keep loving one another.”

White’s execution was witnessed by five members of Greta Williams’ family and two members of Hai Van Pham’s family, underscoring the far-reaching impact of his crimes. The execution process lasted 17 minutes from the time the lethal dose began until White was pronounced dead.

Legal Battles and Controversy

White’s path to execution was not without controversy and legal challenges. His attorneys argued that he was intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for the death penalty under Supreme Court rulings. They also claimed that DNA evidence suggested another man was present at the crime scene and that White was likely suffering from a cocaine-induced psychotic break during the murders.

“White presents no reason to delay his execution date any longer. The Edwards family — and the victims of White’s other murders … deserve justice for his decades-old crimes,” the attorney general’s office said.

Despite these efforts, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected three last-ditch appeals without comment, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied White’s request to commute his death sentence or grant a 30-day reprieve. The execution proceeded as scheduled, bringing an end to a chapter in Texas criminal history.

As the nation grapples with the recent surge in executions, the case of Garcia Glenn White serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding capital punishment and the enduring impact of violent crime on communities and families.