Texas man faces execution for 2001 strangulation of girl, 5, who was abducted from a store

By JUAN A. LOZANO and MICHAEL GRACZYK
Associated Press

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas inmate convicted of strangling a 5-year-old girl abducted from a store and then burning her body nearly 22 years ago is facing execution. David Renteria was set to receive a lethal injection Thursday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. The 53-year-old was condemned to die for the November 2001 killing of Alexandra Flores, who was kidnapped from a Walmart store in El Paso. Prosecutors said the girl was the youngest of eight children and was Christmas shopping with her family in November 2001 when she was abducted. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected two requests for a stay from Renteria’s lawyers.