Texas executes man for killing ex-girlfriend and her son, 7

By JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — Texas has executed an inmate for killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and her 7-year-old son more than 17 years ago. Stephen Barbee was given a lethal injection Wednesday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He was pronounced dead at 7:35 p.m. He was put to death after courts rejected arguments from his lawyers that his religious freedom was being violated in connection with policies on spiritual advisers and that prison officials were indifferent to his medical needs in how he was given a lethal injection. Barbee was condemned for the February 2005 deaths of 34-year-old Lisa Underwood and her son Jayden. Both were suffocated at their home in Fort Worth. Barbee was the fifth inmate put to death this year in Texas.