‘Texas 7’ member on death row executed

A three-time convicted robber who helped engineer the biggest prison break in Texas history has been executed for killing a suburban Dallas police officer while the gang was on the run 14 years ago.

Donald Newbury became the third member of the group known as the “Texas 7” executed when he was given a lethal injection Wednesday evening.

Newbury was sentenced to die for the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Aubrey Hawkins, an Irving officer who interrupted the fugitives’ robbery of a sporting goods store on Christmas Eve in 2000.

The slaying occurred 11 days after the convicts escaped. The gang was captured a month later in Colorado.

The 52-year-old Newbury’s execution was carried out after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a last-day appeal from his attorneys.

Five of the “Texas 7” used Coachlight Motel and RV Park in Woodland Park as their hideout for more than a month after their escape. People living on the property were not there during that time, but said they remember the story.

Vanessa Riley and her neighbor Christy Winkler were young when the “Texas 7” came to town. They heard about what happened from their parents.

“We used to drive by and I would be in awe like “oh my gosh we are actually famous for something… This little town and now living here, it’s almost kind of eerie,” said resident Vanessa Riley.

“It’s interesting. I’m glad I don’t know details like what camper or what room or anything like that,” said Christy Winkler.

Their neighbor Johnny Busby said the “Texas 7” is a piece of the past that shouldn’t be celebrated.

“They didn’t do anything of notoriety, they weren’t heroes, they were bandits, they were criminals and they got what they deserved eventually,” said Busby.

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