Leave it to Amarillo to have a few weird cases brewing in the history of the city. I mean we have had a few. When a case gets the attention of Pope John Paul II I am like what is going on?

You may be too young to remember this. I wasn't even living in Amarillo at the time. I heard many stories of the murder of Sister Tadea Benz, 76, at St. Francis Convent back in 1981. It happened Halloween night which just adds to the creepiness.

The Johnny Frank Garrett Story

Someone broke into the convent and raped and murdered the Nun. Who lived across the street from the convent? Johnny Frank Garrett. Now he is not the only person who lived across the street.

He was the only one who also had a set of silverware that matched the knife found outside the convent. His prints were found at the scene. So there is that too. He was arrested. He did go to trial. Oh, and he was convicted and sentenced to death. So there is all of that.

Then when the execution neared Governor Ann Richards, after being urged by Pope John Paul II, issued a stay of execution. There was a vote to commute his sentence to life in prison but he lost that by a 17-0 margin. So that is twice the votes were against him.

Yes, he was back on death row. Yes, he would soon be executed. That should have been the end of the story. Oh, but this is Amarillo. This is where Jesse Quackenbush steps in.

We know that when that happens it is to help Jesse Quackenbush. That's it. We all remember his "Big Beaners" fiasco on north Coulter. Where is that documentary that he promised us? Where is the social experiment he said that restaurant was all about? Haven't seen or heard a thing since.

What we have seen over the years is "Johnny Frank Garrett's Last Word". A fictional story told by Jesse Quackenbush on why he thinks Garrett is innocent.

You can do a search on Youtube to find many videos on Johnny Frank Garrett to come up with your own opinion. You can watch the fictional story by Quackenbush on Amazon Prime. I would take it for the horror story it is supposed to be. Having happened on Halloween it gives me more of a Michael Myers type of vibe.

I know from time to time they get a trial wrong. I get it. I don't think they got this one wrong. What do you think?

Executed Death Row Inmates from the Texas Panhandle

The following individuals were convicted of Capital Murder for crimes committed in the Texas Panhandle (Amarillo and its surrounding areas) and sentenced to death by lethal injection. Read a brief summary on the area's executed Death Row inmates.

All information and photos have been taken from TDCJ and court records.

Amarillo Criminals On Death Row

 

 

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