Randy Arroyo Baez

Overview

Randy Arroyo Baez received a sentence of death on April 14, 1998. His sentence was later commuted to life in prison.

Timeline

• 03/11/1997 — In San Antonio, Randy Arroyo abducted Captain Jose Cobo, planning to steal his Mazada RX-7 for parts, and Jose Cobo was killed during the abduction/carjacking.
• 04/14/1998 — Randy Arroyo was sentenced to death.
• 2037 — Randy Arroyo became eligible for parole in 2037, when he was 57.

Background

Randy Arroyo Baez was received on 03/11/97 at age 17 and was born on 10/31/79. He was Hispanic and male. His education level was listed as 04/14/98 (11 years). His hair color was Black and his eye color was Brown. His height was 5-5 and his weight was 110. His prior occupation was described as a laborer from San Tulse Puerto Rico. His prior prison record was none.

The offence

On 03/11/1997, in San Antonio, Randy Arroyo and two co-defendants murdered a 40-year-old Hispanic male during a carjacking. The co-defendants were Vincent Gutierrez and Christopher Suaste.

Minutes after the United States Supreme Court threw out the juvenile death penalty in March (reported as March in the narrative), word reached death row and the change set off reactions among inmates whose lives were spared by the decision, including Randy Arroyo.

The offence described as taking place was an abduction intended to steal a Mazda RX-7 for parts. Captain Jose Cobo tried to escape but became tangled in his seat belt. Vincent Gutierrez shot him twice in the back and shoved him onto the shoulder of Interstate 410 during rush hour on a rainy Tuesday morning in San Antonio. Randy Arroyo did not pull the trigger, but he was convicted of felony murder based on participation in a serious crime that led to a killing.

Randy Arroyo contended that he had no reason to think Vincent Gutierrez would kill Captain Cobo and therefore could not be guilty of felony murder. He said: "I don't mind taking responsibility for my actions, for my part in this crime," and "But don't act like I'm a murderer or violent or that this was premeditated." Legal experts said his decision to participate in the carjacking was more than enough to support his murder conviction under felony murder law.

Captain Cobo left behind a 17-year-old daughter, Reena. She said in a victim impact statement presented at trial: "I miss him so much it hurts when I think about it," "I know he is in heaven with my grandmother and God is taking care of him," "I want to see the murderers punished not necessarily by death," and "I feel sorry that they wasted theirs and my father's life." Ms. Cobo declined to be interviewed.

Investigation

The narrative described the abduction as being planned to steal Captain Cobo's Mazda RX-7 for parts.

Trial

Randy Arroyo was convicted in 1998 for his role in the killing of Jose Cobo, 39. The conviction included felony murder, described as participation in a serious crime leading to a killing. The narrative stated that he was sentenced to death in 1998.

Sentencing

Randy Arroyo was sentenced to death on April 14, 1998.

Appeals

The narrative described the United States Supreme Court throwing out the juvenile death penalty in March. It described that the news reached death row and spared the lives of 28 men.

Outcome

Randy Arroyo’s death sentence was commuted to life in prison.

Randy Arroyo realized he had become a lifer and said: "I wish I still had that death sentence," "I believe my chances have gone down the drain. No one will ever look at my case." He said about lifers: "Lifers, he said, exist in a world without hope." He also said: "This is hopeless," and "This is my life. This is where I grew up." He further said: "All I know is death row," and later: "I’d roll the dice with death and stay on death row," and "Really, death has never been my fear. What do people believe? That being alive in prison is a good life? This is slavery."

The narrative also stated that Randy Arroyo would become eligible for parole in 2037, when he would be 57.

Other details

People

• Randy Arroyo Baez — served as the lifer described as helping kill Captain Cobo in the crime committed when he was 17.
• Captain Jose Cobo — a 39-year-old Hispanic male. He was described as an Air Force captain and chief of maintenance training at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy in Lackland, Tex. He was survived by a 17-year-old daughter, Reena.
• Vincent Gutierrez — the narrative described him as 18 at the time of the crime and as convicted of capital murder for killing Captain Cobo and sentenced to death.
• Christopher Suaste — named as a co-defendant in the incident with Randy Arroyo.

Observations and quotations included in the narrative

Randy Arroyo’s lawyer, David R. Dow, said: "He's going to become someone's plaything in the general population," and "He's a small guy, and the first time someone tries to kill him they'll probably succeed."

The narrative included remarks by Robert Blecker: "Life without parole is a very strange sentence when you think about it," "The punishment seems either too much or too little. If a sadistic or extraordinarily cold, callous killer deserves to die, then why not kill him? But if we are going to keep the killer alive when we could otherwise execute him, why strip him of all hope?" Burl Cain, warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, said: "Prison should be a place for predators and not dying old men," "Some people should die in prison, but everyone should get a hearing." Cathy Fontenot, an assistant warden, said: "because their chances have gone down to this."