HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas man convicted of fatally strangling and stabbing a young mother more than 20 years ago was executed Wednesday evening as the victim's mother and other relatives looked on.
Moises Sandoval Mendoza, 41, received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville and was pronounced dead at 6:40 p.m. He was sentenced to death for his conviction in the March 2004 killing of 20-year-old Rachelle O’Neil Tolleson.
After a spiritual adviser prayed over him for about two minutes, Mendoza apologized repeatedly to the victim's two parents and other relatives present, calling to each by name. “I am sorry for having robbed you of Rachelle's life,” he said, addressing the parents, one of her brothers, a cousin and an uncle watching through a window from an adjoining room.
Mendoza also said he had robbed Tolleson's daughter of her mother, adding, “I'm sorry for that. I know nothing that I could ever say or do would ever make up for that. I want you to know that I am sincere. I apologize.” The daughter wasn't present for the execution.
He then spoke briefly in Spanish, addressing his wife, his sister and two friends watching through a window from another witness room. “I love you, I am with you, I am well and at peace,” he said in Spanish, his words provided in a transcript in English translation. “You know that I'm well, and everything is love.”
As the injection began, he could be heard making two loud gasps and then began snoring. After about 10 snores, all movement ceased and he was pronounced dead 19 minutes later.
Prosecutors say Mendoza, 41, took Tolleson from her north Texas home, leaving her 6-month-old daughter alone. The infant was found cold and wet but safe the next day by Tolleson’s mother. Tolleson’s body was discovered six days later, left in a field near a creek.
Evidence in Mendoza’s case showed he also had burned Tolleson’s body to hide his fingerprints. Dental records were used to identify her, according to investigators.
Pam O’Neil, the victim's mother, told reporters after witnessing Mendoza's execution that it could not undo the loss of her daughter. Reading from a statement, she said of Mendoza: “He’s been on death row 20 years. That ended today. He was put to sleep. He felt no pain. I wish I could say the same about my daughter’s death.”
As Mendoza's relatives and friends left the prison, they appeared distraught and embraced one another.
Hours earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a final request by Mendoza’s attorneys to stop his execution. Mendoza’s attorneys told the justices in a filing that he had been prevented by lower courts from arguing that he had been denied effective assistance of counsel earlier in the appeals process.
But the Texas Attorney General’s Office told the Supreme Court that Mendoza’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel had previously been found “meritless and insubstantial” by a lower federal court.
Lower courts also had previously rejected his petitions for a stay. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on Monday denied Mendoza’s request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty.
Authorities said that in the days before the killing, Mendoza had attended a party at Tolleson’s home in Farmersville, located about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northeast of Dallas. On the day her body was found, Mendoza told a friend about the killing. The friend called police, and Mendoza was arrested.
Mendoza confessed to police but couldn’t give detectives a reason for the killing, authorities said. He told investigators he repeatedly choked Tolleson, sexually assaulted her and dragged her body to a field, where he choked her again and then stabbed her in the throat. He later moved her body to a more remote location and burned it, they said.
Mendoza was the third inmate put to death this year in Texas, historically the nation’s busiest capital punishment state, and the 13th in the U.S.
On Thursday, Alabama plans to execute James Osgood for the 2010 rape and murder of a woman.
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This image provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Texas death row inmate Moises Sandoval Mendoza. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)
As No. 1 Indiana prepares for Friday night's College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 5 Oregon, coach Curt Cignetti is already reloading.
On Sunday, the undefeated Hoosiers acquired two key players in the transfer portal, landing former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, according to a person with knowledge of the commitment. The person requested anonymity because official announcements have not yet been made. Former Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh also is headed to Indiana, his mother, Yolanda Wilson, confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday.
Marsh considered transferring last year but said he turned down more money from other schools to stay with the Spartans.
Hoover could be the successor for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza even though Mendoza's younger brother, Alberto, could stay at Indiana. But Hoover brings a dimension that has worked well for Cignetti in his first two seasons in Bloomington — a proven, multiyear starter.
Indiana went with Kurtis Rourke, a Mid-American Conference Player of the Year with Ohio, in 2024 then got Mendoza, a two-year starter at California, this season.
Hoover is 19-12 in 2 1/2 seasons as the Horned Frogs starter and has completed 65.2% of his 1,183 attempts for 9,629 yards and has 71 TD passes and 33 interceptions. In 2025, the Texan was 272 of 413 for 3,472 yards with 29 TDs and 13 interceptions. He also has eight TD runs in his career.
But the other part of Sunday's haul was equally impressive. Marsh had 100 receptions for 1,311 yards and nine TD receptions in his two seasons with the Spartans and broke school records for a freshman with 41 catches and 649 yards in 2024.
The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Marsh is expected to replace Elijah Sarratt, who caught the winning TD passes at Iowa and in Indiana's first matchup against Oregon.
Multiple news outlets also reported former Boston College running back Turbo Richard also was heading to Indiana. Richard had 145 carries for 749 yards and nine TDs in 11 games last season after only logging 55 carries in 2024. The Hoosiers also are losing their top two rushers — Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black.
The Hoosiers (14-0) and Ducks (13-1) meet Friday night in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta with the winner advancing to the Jan. 19 national championship game.
Quarterback Colton Joseph is heading to Wisconsin after throwing for more than 2,500 yards and eclipsing 1,000 yards rushing at Old Dominion this season.
Joseph announced his decision Sunday with an X post that included the message, “On Wisconsin.”
It was a big weekend for Colorado coach Deion Sanders, too.
The Buffaloes received several commitments from an array of players including San Jose State receiver Danny Scudero, who was named to The Associated Press All-America second team. Scudero's intention to join the Buffaloes was confirmed by a person familiar with the situation who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Colorado hasn't announced its new arrivals.
Colorado also had pledges from receiver Kam Perry of Miami (Ohio), along with defensive linemen Lamont Lester Jr. and Yamil Talib, the nephew of longtime NFL cornerback Aqib Talib. In addition, running back Damian Henderson II is set to join Colorado.
Joseph completed 59.7% of his passes this season for 2,624 yards with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Old Dominion, which went 10-3. He also rushed for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns on 158 carries.
He didn’t play in Old Dominion’s 24-10 Cure Bowl victory over South Florida after deciding to enter the transfer portal.
Wisconsin has gone to the transfer portal for quarterbacks every year since coach Luke Fickell arrived, though injuries have limited their production.
Tanner Mordecai came over from SMU in 2023 but missed 3 1/2 games with a broken hand that season. Tyler Van Dyke arrived from Miami the following year but tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the season. Former Mississippi State quarterback Braedyn Locke started when Mordecai and Van Dyke were injured.
Billy Edwards Jr. transferred from Maryland and opened the 2025 season as Wisconsin’s starter, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ season-opening victory over Miami (Ohio).
Edwards returned to start Wisconsin’s Sept. 20 loss to Maryland but got hurt again and didn't play the rest of the season. San Diego State transfer Danny O’Neil, Southern Illinois transfer Hunter Simmons and freshman Carter Smith each started multiple games after Edwards’ injury.
The Buffaloes added some offensive weapons for highly touted quarterback Julian Lewis.
Scudero had 88 catches for 1,291 yards and 10 TDs last season for San Jose State. He had a program-best four touchdown catches against Wyoming.
The Buffaloes will be the third school for Perry, who started at Indiana before transferring to Miami (Ohio). He finished with 43 catches for 976 yards and six touchdowns for the RedHawks in 2025.
Henderson follows his coach at Sacramento State to Colorado. Brennan Marion was hired by Sanders as offensive coordinator to implement Marion's high-tempo, run-oriented “Go-Go” system. Henderson rushed for 565 yards last season after starting his career at Colorado State.
Talib comes to Boulder from Charlotte, where he had 28 tackles and an interception last season for the 49ers. He was at Oklahoma State in 2024.
Lester had 9 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles last season for Monmouth.
AP Sports Writers Pat Graham and Larry Lage also contributed to this report.
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FILE - Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh runs with the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez,File)
FILE - TCU quarterback Josh Hoover (10) plays against Houston during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith,File)
