Man Executed For Killing Texas Couple, But Different Inmate Confessed To Killings

Posted on Sep 14, 2011 @ 03:30PM

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By Amber Goodhand - Radar Reporter

Steven Michael Woods was executed on Tuesday for his involvement in the murder of a Texas couple, but RadarOnline.com has learned it was his co-defendant, Marcus Rhodes, that actually pled guilty to the murders.

Woods, 31, was given a lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m., according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

“You're not about to witness an execution. You are about to witness a murder,” Woods said just before his execution. “I am strapped down for something Marcus Rhodes did. I never killed nobody, ever.

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“Justice has let me down. Somebody completely screwed this up. Well, Warden, if you're going to murder someone, go ahead and do it. Pull that trigger.”

Woods was convicted of capital murder in 2002 when a jury found him guilty for the shooting and stabbing of Bethena Brosz, 19, and Ronald Whitehead, 21.

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While Woods admitted to hanging out with the couple, he told authorities that it was his friend Rhodes who committed the crime and police later found the victims’ belongings in Rhodes’ car. Woods claimed he witnessed the crime but did not participate — he claimed he had no idea Rhodes was going to commit murder and that when it happened he was too scared to run away.

Rhodes pled guilty to killing the Dallas-area couple, but Woods was also convicted for his involvement and a controversial Texas law allows a defendant to be put to death for a murder someone else committed.

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According to Reuters, this was the 33rd execution in the United States this year and the 10th in Texas.

“We hold people responsible for being conspirators or assisting even in good acts,” said Houston victims-rights advocate Dudley Sharp.

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“We are not treating murderers any different than we would by giving a Nobel Prize to someone who began research 40 years ago even though they didn't make the breakthrough.”

Was Woods’ execution an injustice or was justice served? Leave your comments below...

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George W. Bush is to blame. he could have stopped the murder...

by the pale rider
Posted Thu, 09/15/2011 - 1:07am

My mom always said choose your friends carefully because you are what you hang around with. Good lesson.

by LoriC
Posted Thu, 09/15/2011 - 12:07am

Good for you Texas. This dead jerk didn't try to help the poor people that got killed. He got what he deserved.

by Domino70
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 8:29pm

Absent him running immediately to the police, the moment he was away from 'scary guy', he is guilty. Had he done that, sure, might buy that he didn't want to die too. But he swallowed the guilt for it when he kept his mouth shut.

by RedBlaze
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 6:51pm

No, he looks like the murdering type, plus we've got to lower our prison population somehow.

by therock
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 6:16pm

In Texas an accomplice can also be prosecuted for murder if they were with the killer when it occurred.

by Buck Farack
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 4:47pm

Thanks for repeating back exactly what was written in the article!

by therock
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 6:17pm

Right...it WAS murder..the murders of Brosz and Whitehead. And Woods was as culpable as his buddy Rhodes, the same buddy he was too scared of to attempt to stop a stabbing and shooting, or to run away. Yeah, right. Good call, Texas.

by Flowerette
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 4:25pm

Agreed. He was involved in a double murder for Christ's sake, and I don't believe that he was "too scared to run away". They're equally guilty, regardless of who actually pulled the trigger. NO sympathy here.

by tessy
Posted Wed, 09/14/2011 - 5:02pm