Execution Thursday For San Antonio Woman's Killer

By: Associated Press Email

Posted: Wed 11:11 AM, Jan 25, 2012

For almost a decade, the gruesome discovery in 1994 of a woman's body dumped in a 55-gallon garbage can behind a San Antonio church went unsolved.

Police finally caught a break when a convict in Michigan had to provide a DNA sample as a parole requirement. Run through a national database, Rodrigo Hernandez's DNA linked him to the abduction, rape and strangling of 38-year-old Susan Verstegen in Texas.

On Thursday, the 38-year-old Hernandez is set for lethal injection for her murder.

Lawyers for Rodriguez trying to block the punishment have an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Verstegen's slaying is one of two tied to Hernandez. Two years ago, DNA tests similarly linked him to the 1991 slaying of a homeless woman in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Minnesota Native Among 8 New Astronauts

We ask that the following Community Standards be followed:

Comments must not be profane or vulgar.

Comments must not use hate speech, racial slurs, or violent descriptions.

We encourage varying views to be shared. We do ask commenters to not personally attack other readers, groups, people featured in our stories, or other posters for disagreeing with their views.

Comments must not contain negative, comparative debates between community standards of cities or towns.

Comments must contribute to the discussion, flaming and/or trolling will not be tolerated.

Comments must be truthful and not intentionally falsified. Providing a source link is encouraged.

If you find that a comment violates the above rules, please use the flagging option located to the right of the comment to notify the moderators.
For a complete list of guidelines, please follow this link:
http://www.kbtx.com/home/misc/Online-Commenting-Policy-181579421.html

Execution Thursday For San Antonio Woman's Killer

AP Video