Marco Torres Jr. – Latino, age 32

Sentenced in Lancaster County, Nebraska
By: a three-judge panel
Date of crime: March 2007
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Torres was convicted of the first-degree murder of Timothy Donohue (age 48) and Edward Hall (age 60).  After the shootings, Torres fled to Texas and burned Hall’s car in a secluded area.  Torres was also found guilty of two counts of robbery, three counts of using a gun to commit a felony, and for the unauthorized use of a debit card.  Torres waived his right to a jury trial and asked for his conviction to be thrown out due to the use of inadmissible evidence.  The prosecution focused on Torres tying up and gagging Hall, making it heinous and cruel, in addition to the murders being committed to conceal a robbery.  The defense argued Torres was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the murders.
Sources: Lincoln Journal Star 8/29/09 (2009 WLNR 26834743), Omaha World-Herald (NE) 10/13/09 (2009 WLNR 26938141), 2/19/11 AP Alert – NE 18:01:10, 2/20/11 AP Alert – NE 09:31:10.