Carlos DeLuna was an American man who was convicted of murder and executed by the State of Texas for killing Wanda Lopez, a 24-year-old gas station attendant in Corpus Christi, on the evening of February 4,1983.
18 Facts About Carlos DeLuna
1.
2.
Hernandez allegedly told at least five people that he, not Carlos DeLuna, was the murderer of Wanda Lopez.
3.
Carlos DeLuna was charged with killing a gas station attendant, 24-year-old Wanda Lopez, on the evening of February 4,1983, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
4.
Carlos DeLuna then returned to the Shamrock at about the time the police began arriving.
5.
At the time of his arrest, Carlos DeLuna had fresh fingernail scratches under his right arm and on his face, and he appeared unshaven.
6.
Forensic tests on the shirt and shoes were negative for blood, and no blood was found on the pants Carlos DeLuna was wearing when he was arrested or on the wad of money that was in his pocket.
7.
Carlos DeLuna told both of them that he had no recollection of being arrested and that he had total amnesia about the night in question.
8.
Carlos DeLuna took the stand in his own defense and testified as follows: He spent the early evening with two sisters, Mary Ann Perales and Linda Perales.
9.
Carlos DeLuna testified that he was wearing a blue shirt, black pants, and black slip-on shoes.
10.
Hernandez said he was going over to the Shamrock to buy something, so Carlos DeLuna ordered a beer at Wolfy's and waited.
11.
Carlos DeLuna began wondering why Hernandez was taking so long, so he stepped outside Wolfy's to see what was going on.
12.
Carlos DeLuna testified that his shirt was ripped clean from his body while climbing over a fence.
13.
On cross-examination, Carlos DeLuna was asked about the white shirt and shoes that were found in a nearby yard, and he testified that they were not his.
14.
Carlos DeLuna admitted that he was a twice convicted felon and that he had lied to the psychiatrists who examined him.
15.
Carlos DeLuna Hernandez was known to be a regular at the Casino Club.
16.
The jury deliberated for six hours before deciding that Carlos DeLuna was likely to reoffend, whereupon the judge sentenced him to death.
17.
In June 2006, the Chicago Tribune published a series of investigative news stories that examined evidence that Carlos DeLuna may have been convicted in error.
18.
The Columbia team found people who knew Hernandez and said he bragged to them about murdering Lopez and letting Carlos DeLuna take the blame.