Ron Shamburger

Parties and identifiers

Ron Scott Shamburger was executed by lethal injection in Texas on September 18, 2002.

Lori Baker was the victim.

Victoria Kohler was Lori Baker’s roommate.

Mark Baker was Lori Baker’s brother.

Timeline

• Aug. 2, 1994 — Ron Shamburger went to Lori’s home to burglarize it but decided to burglarize the home of Sandra King instead; he stole cash and a credit card from King’s home and made several purchases with the stolen card the next day.
• Late August 1994 — Shamburger purchased a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol.
• Summer 1994 — Shamburger and Lori Baker, both Texas A&M University students, had seen each other again after being fellow students earlier; as freshmen they had gone dancing together.
• September 21, 1994 — Shamburger tried unsuccessfully to break into Lori’s home and burglarized the home of one of Lori’s neighbors again.
• September 26 or 27, 1994 — Shamburger successfully burglarized Lori’s home, stealing a credit card and a pair of Lori’s underwear.
• September 28, 1994 — Shamburger purchased clothing with Lori’s card.
• September 30, 1994 — Shamburger used Lori’s card to purchase a gas can and gasoline and went to Lori’s home with the gun, gas can, and duct tape; he broke into the home through a window in a spare bedroom, then broke into Lori’s locked bedroom where she slept; after shooting Lori, he abducted Victoria Kohler, tied her up, put her in the trunk of his car, drove around town, abandoned the car, returned to Lori’s house and set it on fire; as the blaze expanded, the house eventually exploded; Shamburger later confessed to his minister and then to police after attempting to turn himself in.
• Oct. 19, 1995 — A jury convicted Shamburger of capital murder.
• Oct. 25, 1995 — Ron Scott Shamburger was sentenced to die for the capital murder of Lori Baker.
• Oct. 7, 1998 — The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the judgment and sentence in an unpublished opinion.
• June 1, 1999 — The United States Supreme Court denied Shamburger’s petition for writ of certiorari.
• Feb. 3, 1999 — The Court of Criminal Appeals denied habeas relief.
• June 1, 2000 — Shamburger filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.
• March 15, 2001 — The district court entered final judgment denying federal habeas relief.
• July 3, 2001 — Shamburger’s motion to alter or amend the judgment was denied.
• March 25, 2002 — The Fifth Circuit denied Shamburger a certificate of appealability and upheld the district court’s judgment denying federal habeas relief.
• April 22, 2002 — Shamburger’s motion for rehearing in the Fifth Circuit was denied.
• July 22, 2002 — Shamburger filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court challenging the Fifth Circuit’s denial of relief.
• Aug. 23, 2002 — Shamburger filed an application for stay of execution.
• Sept. 6, 2002 — The Supreme Court denied certiorari review and Shamburger’s request for a stay.
• Sept. 12, 2002 — Shamburger filed a successive application for state habeas corpus relief.
• Sept. 18, 2002 — Shamburger was executed by lethal injection in Texas; he was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m.

Background

Ron Scott Shamburger and Lori Baker were fellow students at Texas A&M University in College Station. As freshmen, they had gone dancing together, but years had passed before they saw each other again. Shamburger was a 5th year senior when he went to Lori’s home in the fall of 1994.

Shamburger had no prior criminal history. He worked in a supermarket. He was described as a born-again Christian.

Lori Baker was 20 years old. Shamburger was 22 during the events described in 1994 and was 30 at execution.

Lori Baker’s parents were Derrel and Faye Baker. Lori Baker’s brother Mark Baker lived next door.

Lori Baker had refused to date Shamburger.

The offence

Burglary and preparation

Shamburger burglarized Lori Baker’s home and, during prior burglaries, stole cash and credit cards.

On Aug. 2, 1994, Shamburger went to Lori’s home to burglarize it, but decided to burglarize the home of Sandra King, Lori’s neighbor. He stole cash and a credit card from King’s home and made several purchases with the stolen card the next day.

Later that month, Shamburger purchased a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol.

On September 21, 1994, he tried unsuccessfully to break into Lori’s home and again burglarized the home of one of Lori’s neighbors. He used a knife to cut the window screen, stole cash and credit cards, and immediately began making purchases with the credit cards.

On September 26 or 27, 1994, he successfully burglarized Lori’s home, stealing a credit card and a pair of her underwear.

On September 28, 1994, he purchased clothing with Lori’s card.

On September 30, 1994, he used Lori’s card to purchase a gas can and gasoline. He then went to Lori’s home with the gun, gas can and duct tape.

Entry and attack on Lori Baker

Shamburger broke into the home through a window in a spare bedroom, then broke into Lori’s locked bedroom where she slept.

After Lori recognized Shamburger, he bound her hands with duct tape. At this point, Lori’s roommate, Victoria Kohler, returned home.

Once Shamburger heard Victoria enter, he placed the pistol against Lori’s head and shot her.

Shamburger had burglarized Lori’s home a week earlier, stealing Lori’s credit card and using it to purchase the murder weapon.

Attempt to retrieve the bullet; arson and explosion

After the shooting, Shamburger used a knife to cut into Baker’s head in an attempt to find the bullet and remove it. When he failed, he poured gasoline on her body and set the house on fire. As the blaze expanded, the house eventually exploded.

Shamburger moved Lori’s body and the headboard to her bed and searched for the bullet. He cut some of Lori’s hair and used a knife to inspect the exit wound on the back of her head. He did not find the bullet.

He placed his hat on the bed because it was covered with “blood and brains and all that good stuff.” He left his car keys inside somewhere in the burning house, and he tried unsuccessfully to find them and was slightly charred in the process.

Hours later, Shamburger went back and waited as Mark Baker heard the explosion, tried to smash a window with a baseball bat, and heard Shamburger’s voice saying, “She’s dead.”

Abduction and threats against Victoria Kohler

After shooting Lori, Shamburger abducted Victoria Kohler. He grabbed her hair and threw her to the floor.

He sat on Victoria’s back, making it difficult for her to breathe, poked the gun against her back, and told her: “Don't move, don't scream or it will be over.”

He asked Victoria a series of questions, including her name, her major, whether she had class the next day and whether the professor would call the roll. He asked whether Victoria was a Christian, whether she had a boyfriend, whether she had cash or credit cards, and whether her credit card could be used at a cash machine.

He went to her bedroom to retrieve the six dollars that Victoria possessed in her wallet and remarked: “Sweet, good bull, six dollars.”

He again sat on her back and began to massage her shoulders, continuing to question her. He said: “I don't want to hurt you” and “I bet your heart is beating really fast and I bet you're scared.”

He asked if she was a virgin and told her that he had never had sex with a woman.

He asked Victoria if she had seen him; Victoria had clearly seen him in the hall but misled him by giving a false description.

He covered Victoria’s head with a blanket and forced her to crawl into the bathroom. He taped her hands behind her back.

He left her in the bathroom for some time, then took her to the garage, removed the tape from her hands, and locked her in the trunk of his car.

About 10 minutes later, he told her he was going to take her somewhere and drop her off. He drove around town, talking to Victoria through the back seat. He told her: “I guess you know Lori is dead. . . . I guess there is a first time for everything.”

He said he knew the authorities would eventually find him and asked Victoria if she thought he should commit suicide. He also asked if anyone could forgive him; Victoria told him: “The Lord forgives.”

He told her he was planning to burn the house to destroy any evidence and asked if there was anything she wanted to save; she specified her scrapbooks and pictures.

He stopped the car, unlocked the trunk, and told her not to leave the trunk until she heard sirens or she couldn't stand it any longer, and not to get out immediately because he might be watching her.

Victoria hid in the trunk until he was gone; she then exited the trunk, drove to a nearby house, and asked the residents to call 9-1-1.

Additional confession and attempted self-surrender

Shamburger was able to attempt to turn himself over to police.

He called Steve Biles, a minister at his church and personal friend, and asked Biles to meet him. Shamburger and Biles drove around for a while, and Shamburger confessed his actions to Biles.

Biles took Shamburger to retrieve his Bible, and then they drove to the police station. Shamburger attempted to turn himself over to the police, but all officers were out investigating the instant crime; he and Biles waited in the lobby.

After Shamburger started flicking bullets on the floor, police officers arrived and ordered everyone in the room to the floor. Shamburger was arrested and soon after confessed to the murder of Lori Baker and the other burglaries.

He said he did not intend to kill anybody when he broke into Lori’s house, but admitted that he took the gun with him so he could “try to fight my way out or something” if he was caught.

Investigation

The investigation followed Shamburger’s burglaries and the subsequent murder and arson. Evidence included the use of a credit card stolen from Lori Baker’s home to purchase the murder weapon, a 9 mm pistol.

Police arrived in connection with the instant crime, and Shamburger was arrested after being ordered to the floor while officers were summoned back to the station.

Arrest

Shamburger was arrested after attempting to surrender at a police station lobby and after officers arrived following his actions in the lobby.

Trial

Charges and pleas

Shamburger was indicted by a Brazos County grand jury for the capital offense of murdering Lori Baker during the course of committing or attempting to commit burglary of a habitation.

He pleaded not guilty.

The jury convicted Shamburger of capital murder.

Conviction and sentence

On Oct. 19, 1995, the jury convicted Shamburger of capital murder.

After a subsequent hearing on punishment, and based on the jury’s answers to the special punishment issues, the trial court assessed punishment at death by lethal injection.

Shamburger was sentenced to die for the capital murder of Lori Baker.

Appeals

Automatic review

Upon automatic review of Shamburger’s conviction and death sentence, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the judgment and sentence in an unpublished opinion dated Oct. 7, 1998.

U.S. Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court denied Shamburger’s petition for writ of certiorari on June 1, 1999.

State habeas corpus

Shamburger filed an application for a state writ of habeas corpus. The state habeas court issued findings of fact and conclusions of law recommending that relief be denied. After determining that the findings were supported by the record, the Court of Criminal Appeals denied habeas relief on Feb. 3, 1999.

Federal habeas corpus

Shamburger filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, on June 1, 2000. The district court entered final judgment denying federal habeas relief on March 15, 2001.

Shamburger’s motion to alter or amend the judgment was denied on July 3, 2001.

Appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit followed. On March 25, 2002, the Fifth Circuit denied Shamburger a certificate of appealability and upheld the district court’s judgment denying Shamburger federal habeas relief.

Shamburger’s motion for rehearing in the Fifth Circuit was denied on April 22, 2002.

Supreme Court stay and successive state habeas

On July 22, 2002, Shamburger filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court challenging the Fifth Circuit’s denial of relief. He filed an application for stay of execution on Aug. 23, 2002.

On Sept. 6, 2002, the Supreme Court denied certiorari review and Shamburger’s request for a stay.

On Sept. 12, 2002, Shamburger filed a successive application for state habeas corpus relief. That application was pending before the 361st District Court for Brazos County and the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Outcome

Ron Scott Shamburger was scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 in Texas.

He was executed by lethal injection. He was declared dead at 6:17 p.m. CDT, six minutes after receiving the lethal dose.

As the deadly chemicals entered his body, Shamburger sang an old religious hymn, “How Can it Be?”. He also quoted extensively from the Bible during the execution.

Aftermath

Final meal

Shamburger’s final meal included nachos with chili and cheese, one bowl of sliced jalapenos, one bowl of picante sauce, two large onions (sliced and grilled), tacos (with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese), and toasted corn tortilla shells.

Final words and apologies

Before and during execution, Shamburger apologized to the Baker family, to Victoria Kohler, and to his family.

He said:

“My sin has affected other people. I understand the loss of my life is not a payment for Lori's. The loss of my life is a consequence of my actions. If I could pay with my life and bring her back, I would. To the Bakers, I am really sorry for the pain and sorrow I caused you. I really do not know what to say, but I am sorry ... forgive me.”

Next, he apologized to his own parents:

“Forgive me. Thank you for your love.”

Other details

Prior events and burglaries

Shamburger had gone to Lori’s house on several previous occasions; on the first two visits he ended up burglarizing her neighbors instead. On the third visit, on or about 27 September, he successfully broke into Lori’s house and stole a credit card and a pair of her panties. He purchased the pistol and gasoline can used in the murder with her credit card.

In the weeks before the fatal attack, he made purchases with stolen credit cards and cash.

Telephone call to his mother

At one point, Shamburger telephoned his mother and said: “Mom, I feel like I'm fixing to lose it.” His mother attempted to reassure him by saying: “Hang in there, it will all work out.”

Statements during the offence and attempts to avoid suspicion

Shamburger told Victoria:

“I guess you know Lori is dead. . . . I guess there is a first time for everything.”

He also asked whether the authorities would eventually find him and asked if she thought he should commit suicide; she advised against suicide.

He told Victoria:

When authorities were expected to find him, he asked if anyone could forgive him; Victoria told him: “The Lord forgives.”

He told Mark Baker’s family and others that “She's dead,” as he walked in circles in the backyard holding a gun.

People present during execution

The Bryan-College Station Eagle described that Shamburger died in the presence of the victim’s family and his parents; it named Faye Baker and Mark, as well as Derrel, Dacell, and Lynell Shamburger.