Nun, 76, raped in her convent bed on Halloween by neighbor, 17, who strangled her to death
Thirty years later, the convicted killer's family is asking for his name to be cleared
76-year-old Tadea Benz, a nun, was raped, strangled, and killed on the morning of Oct. 31st, 1981. The convicted killer, 17-year-old Johnny Frank Garrett, was arrested and charged with murder.
He was executed at the age of 28 at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville by lethal injection.
Thirty years later, his family is asking for his name to be cleared.
Garret claimed his innocence for 11 years. Jeana Weaver and Janet Dobbins, his sisters, are hoping to clear his name.
"He's not a monster, that is the worst I have ever heard somebody call Johnny Garrett is a monster," said Jeana.
Around the time of Benz's murder, 77-year-old Narnie Bryson was also killed in the same way.
Leoncio Perez Rueda was convicted for that Bryson's murder, because of similarities in the cases Garrett's sisters think he is to blame for both.
"What a horrible, horrible way to die, for somebody to come into her room, and to rape and strangle and kill her and beat her and just leave her there, so Leoncio Rueda Perez is a monster," added Janet.
Jeff Blackburn, the attorney who represented Garret during his appeals, also believe he's been wrongfully executed.
"I'm not saying that he, didn't break in there, I'm not even saying that he didn't murder the nun, but what I am saying is that he was not guilty of raping her and I will always be convinced of that. I think that now if we were able to use the science that we have, with DNA testing, I think he would be exonerated of that crime," said Blackburn.
"They are going to have to demonstrate to the court that the substance to be tested is still capable of being tested for DNA, it hasn't been tampered or altered with," Randall Sims, the 47th District Attorney, said.
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Additionally, Garret's attorneys have to present even more evidence showing he's not guilty.
Blackburn says easier said than done.
"I doubt it, I doubt it, this is going to be one of those unsolved mysteries of the criminal justice system although it's really not that unsolved."
His sister says she will continue to fight to have Johnny's name cleared."Thirty years later, oh my God, it's a long time, it's a long time, but I'll be here in 40 years too still crying for his name to be cleared, that's all I want," said Janet.
Rueda, the man, some believe to be the real murderer remains in prison, serving 45 years for Bryson's death.