Vaughn Ross
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Vaughn Ross
| birth_date = {{birth date|1971|9|4}}
| birth_place = St. Louis County, Missouri, U.S.
| penalty = Death (September 27, 2002)
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|7|18|1971|9|4}}
| death_place = Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas, U.S.
| victims = 2
| locations = Lubbock, Texas
| conviction = Capital murder
| criminal_status = Executed
| death_cause = Execution by lethal injection
| country = United States
}}
Vaughn Ross (September 4, 1971 – July 18, 2013) was a Texas murderer. He was a graduate student at Texas Tech University before being convicted for the January 31, 2001, murders of Douglas Birdsall, 53, and Viola Ross McVade, 18, in Lubbock County, Texas.[https://twitter.com/carinabergfeldt/status/358011598863998977/photo/1 Vaughn Ross final statement]. Twitter.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-19.Cooper, Robbie (2013-07-17) [http://urbangrounds.com/2013/07/execution-ross-vaughn/ EXECUTION WATCH: Vaughn Ross (TX)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130805225038/http://urbangrounds.com/2013/07/execution-ross-vaughn/ |date=2013-08-05 }}. UrbanGrounds. Retrieved on 2013-07-19.[http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/story/vaughn-ross-viola-ross-mcvade-douglas-birdsall/WKtS7zlo8k2ttqZnzjbujA.cspx Lubbock man scheduled to be executed for double murder |myFOXlubbock.com | FOX 34 News Lubbock, Texas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108085315/http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/local/story/vaughn-ross-viola-ross-mcvade-douglas-birdsall/WKtS7zlo8k2ttqZnzjbujA.cspx |date=2014-01-08 }}. myFOXlubbock.com (2013-07-17). Retrieved on 2013-07-19.{{Cite web |title=Death Row Information |url=https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/death_row/dr_info/rossvaughn.html}}
Background
Viola was the sister of Ross's girlfriend. Douglas Birdsall had been the associate dean at the Texas Tech library. Ross shot both victims. Later the same day, a mountain biker came across the murder scene and found both Douglas's and Viola's bodies in a car.[https://web.archive.org/web/20130719000946/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57594313-504083/vaughn-ross-execution-ex-grad-student-set-to-die-for-killing-2-in-texas/ Vaughn Ross Execution: Ex-grad student set to die for killing 2 in Texas – Crimesider]. CBS News (2013-07-13). Retrieved on 2013-07-19. DNA on a latex glove found in Birdsall's car and a sweatshirt Vaughn was wearing had blood of Douglas Birdsall; these were two things that linked Ross to the double murder. In 2002, Ross was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death by lethal injection by a jury.[http://lubbockonline.com/stories/092402/upd_075-4351.shtml Jury deliberates fate of Ross | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal]. Lubbock Online (2002-09-24). Retrieved on 2013-07-19.
Ross received attention in Sweden after he agreed to be part of a special theme week about the death penalty in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.[http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article17113438.ab Om en vecka ska Ross dö | Nyheter | Aftonbladet]. Aftonbladet.se (2013-07-11). Retrieved on 2013-07-19. Aftonbladet covered his case and his last week alive before his execution and reported live from outside the prison on the day of the execution.Bergfeldt, Carina (2013-07-18) [http://bloggar.aftonbladet.se/enveckameddoden/2013/07/i-dag-ska-vaughn-ross-do/ I dag ska Vaughn Ross dö | En vecka med döden]. Bloggar.aftonbladet.se. Retrieved on 2013-07-19. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721034940/http://bloggar.aftonbladet.se/enveckameddoden/2013/07/i-dag-ska-vaughn-ross-do/ |date=July 21, 2013 }}
Ross left a final statement before being executed which was revealed to Aftonbladet reporter Carina Bergfeldt. He is buried at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery.
See also
{{Portal|Texas|Biography|Law}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Vaughn}}
Category:2001 murders in the United States
Category:21st-century executions by Texas
Category:American people executed for murder
Category:People convicted of murder by Texas
Category:People executed by Texas by lethal injection
Category:People from St. Louis County, Missouri