Jeffrey Doughtie

Case details

Jeffrey Doughtie was executed by lethal injection in Texas on August 16, 2001.

Timeline

• August 2, 1993 — Jeffrey Doughtie used a cocaine “speed ball” and went to the Dean antique store to talk to Sylvia Dean.
• August 2, 1993 — After repeatedly asking Sylvia Dean for $30 and being refused, Doughtie left with an antique vase, then returned with a piece of metal tubing.
• August 2, 1993 — A nurse shopping in the store next door entered and found Jerry and Sylvia Dean lying on the floor in a pool of blood and moaning in agony; Jerry Dean died later that evening.
• August 16, 1993 — Sylvia Dean died nearly a month later.
• August 22, 1993 — Doughtie was responsible for the capital murder of Marie Lozano in Corpus Christi.
• March 3, 1994 — Jeffrey Carlton Doughtie was indicted on two counts of capital murder in the 347th Judicial District Court of Nueces County.
• May 12, 1994 — Doughtie was found guilty on both counts of capital murder.
• June 9, 1994 — Following a separate punishment hearing, Doughtie was sentenced to death.
• April 3, 1996 — The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Doughtie’s conviction and sentence.
• February 20, 1998 — The state habeas court (the 347th Judicial District Court of Nueces County) entered findings of fact and conclusion of law and recommended denying habeas corpus relief.
• April 8, 1998 — The Court of Criminal Appeals denied relief based on the habeas court’s findings and conclusions.
• September 8, 1998 — Doughtie filed an amended petition for federal habeas relief in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division.
• January 20, 1999 — A competency hearing was conducted, and the federal district court allowed Doughtie to withdraw his petition; the same day, the state district court set an execution date for March 25, 1999.
• March 19, 1999 — The federal district court dismissed Doughtie’s petition for federal habeas relief; the same day, the federal district court reinstated the petition after Doughtie had second thoughts.
• January 25, 2000 — The federal district court denied Doughtie’s petition for habeas relief.
• April 18, 2000 — The federal district court denied Doughtie’s motion for a certificate of appealability.
• November 14, 2000 — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit denied Doughtie’s motion for certificate of appealability.
• April 2, 2001 — The U.S. Supreme Court denied Doughtie’s motion to file a writ of certiorari out of time.
• April 18, 2001 — The trial court scheduled Doughtie’s execution for August 16, 2001.
• August 16, 2001 — Doughtie was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. after being strapped to the gurney in the death chamber and receiving lethal injection.

Background

Jeffrey Doughtie was executed in Texas on August 16, 2001. He was 39 at the time of execution and previously had been 31 at the time of the August 1993 Dean murders.

Doughtie was described as a drug-addicted transient who had a $400-a-day drug habit and went on a crime spree in 1993 in Corpus Christi. He had an extensive criminal history, including prior convictions for furnishing a controlled substance to a prisoner and forgery, and evidence presented of aggravated robberies and a burglary within a three-week period of the Dean murders. Evidence also established that Doughtie was responsible for the August 22, 1993 capital murder of Marie Lozano in Corpus Christi.

The offence

Jerry and Sylvia Dean owned and operated an antique shop on South Staples in Corpus Christi. Jerry Dean was 80-years old at the time of his death, and Sylvia Dean was 76 at the time of his death; they had been married for 53 years.

On August 2, 1993, after doing a cocaine “speed ball,” Doughtie went to the Dean’s antique store to talk to Sylvia Dean. Doughtie had previously worked for Sylvia and frequently sold items he had stolen to the antique store. Doughtie asked Jerry if he had any money, and Jerry told Doughtie he would have to wait until Sylvia got back.

When Sylvia arrived, Doughtie told her he needed $30 to get to San Antonio. Sylvia refused, saying she did not have any money. After asking repeatedly, Doughtie left the store with an antique vase. After walking three or four blocks, Doughtie said he felt he needed more cocaine or heroin. He discarded the vase in bushes, grabbed a piece of metal tubing, and went back to the antique store.

Jerry and Sylvia were sitting in rocking chairs when Doughtie arrived. Doughtie confronted Sylvia. Sylvia told Doughtie she had called the police about the vase. Doughtie threatened Sylvia with the metal tubing and then struck her on the head and turned and hit Jerry on the head several times with the tubing.

About an hour later, a nurse shopping in the store next door walked into the antique shop and found the Deans lying on the floor in a pool of blood and moaning in agony. Jerry and Sylvia were severely beaten and were covered in blood. Jerry died later that evening, and Sylvia died nearly a month later. Jerry had been struck three to five times on the head and Sylvia had been hit five times on the head. The cause of death for both victims was blunt-force injuries to the head and brain.

Doughtie took Sylvia’s wedding ring and a gold ring from Jerry. Doughtie also stole some money and rings from Sylvia’s purse. When he left the antique shop, Doughtie discarded the metal tubing in a pile of trash. Doughtie traded the jewelry and money for cocaine and heroin.

Doughtie’s written and signed confession stated that the motive for the murders was money and drugs. In the confession, Doughtie stated that after being refused, he beat Jerry and Sylvia when they refused to loan him $30, and he said he traded the jewelry and money for cocaine and heroin. Doughtie admitted taking and selling the rings for cocaine and heroin.

Doughtie was stopped and questioned about a separate robbery two weeks after the Dean murders, and he confessed to the antique shop murders. Doughtie took investigators to the area where he discarded the vase and murder weapon, but investigators were unable to recover either item.

Doughtie was also responsible for the capital murder of Marie Lozano in Corpus Christi.

Investigation and arrest

After being stopped and questioned about a separate robbery, Doughtie confessed to the antique shop murders. Doughtie led investigators to the area where he discarded the vase and murder weapon, but investigators were unable to recover either item.

Trial

On March 3, 1994, Jeffrey Carlton Doughtie was indicted on two counts of capital murder in the 347th Judicial District Court of Nueces County.

On May 12, 1994, he was found guilty on both counts.

Following a separate punishment hearing, on June 9, 1994, Doughtie was sentenced to death.

Sentencing

A separate punishment hearing was held, and Doughtie was sentenced to death on June 9, 1994.

Appeals

• On April 3, 1996, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Doughtie’s conviction and sentence.
• Doughtie did not petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari.
• On February 20, 1998, the state habeas court (the 347th Judicial District Court of Nueces County) entered findings of fact and conclusion of law and recommended denying habeas corpus relief.
• On April 8, 1998, the Court of Criminal Appeals denied relief based on the habeas court’s findings and conclusions.
• On September 8, 1998, Doughtie filed an amended petition for federal habeas relief in the U.S.
• Before the state could file an answer, Doughtie informed the federal district court that he wished to forego federal habeas review.
• On January 20, 1999, a competency hearing was conducted, and the federal district court allowed Doughtie to withdraw his petition; that same day, the state district court set an execution date for March 25, 1999.
• On March 19, 1999, the federal district court dismissed Doughtie’s petition; on the same day, it reinstated the petition after Doughtie informed federal habeas counsel he had second thoughts.
• On January 25, 2000, the federal district court denied Doughtie’s petition for habeas relief.
• On April 18, 2000, the federal district court denied Doughtie’s motion for a certificate of appealability.
• On November 14, 2000, the U.S.
• On April 2, 2001, Doughtie did not file a timely petition for a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S.

Currently there was no litigation pending before any court.

Other details

Doughtie’s confession included details about the motive and the events during the antique shop robbery and killings.

A nurse shopping in the store next door found the Deans lying on the floor and moaning in agony about an hour after Doughtie left the store with a vase and returned with the metal tubing.

Susan Nix, identified as a great-niece of two of Doughtie’s victims, discussed Doughtie’s request to be executed and expressed relief and upset. She said:

“His doing this grandstanding only causes more pain for our family,” Nix said.
“He's seeking glory. I am personally angry about his wanting to be a role model. I don't really think anyone who brutally kills three elderly people can ever be a role model,” she said.

In state District Court, Doughtie told Judge Joaquin Villarreal III that he was ready to die:

“I'm not crazy,” Doughtie said.
“I want it done with.”

On the day of execution, Doughtie stated:

“For about nine years, I've thought about the death penalty, if it's right or wrong. I don't have the answer. But I don't think this world is a safer place without me in it,” Doughtie said while strapped to the gurney in the death chamber.

Doughtie also said:

“Killing me now ain't hurting me. It gave me time to say goodbye to my family,” he said.

On the execution gurney, Doughtie said:

“I don't think the world will be a better or safer place without me,” he said.
“You are not hurting me now. I have had time to get ready, to tell my family goodbye, to get my life where it needed to be.”

Referring to his drug habit, Doughtie said:

“it started with a needle and it is ending with a needle.”

Doughtie thanked his friends who were present and told the warden to proceed with the lethal injection.

Doughtie also said:

“I wish those people hadn't died. But that gurney holds no fear for me -- I have a peace inside my heart.”

He added:

“to kill me isn't going to bring them back. I'm getting off easy -- they're the ones who had to suffer. Yes, I'm getting the ultimate punishment, but I got time to get it together, and I know where I'm going. The one thing we have on death row is that we know when, where and how (we're going to die). We have time to prepare for it. ... They are honestly not giving me the ultimate punishment, they're cutting me loose.”