Donald Newbury, a member of the notorious “Texas Seven” gang of prison fugitives, whose 2000 prison break was the largest in state history, was executed last night for the murder of Irving, Tx., police officer Aubrey Hawkins, the Texas Tribune reports. Newbury was serving a 99-year sentence for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon when he and six other inmates staged a brazen escape from the John B. Connally Unit after overpowering 14 prison employees.
The group, which had taken 14 revolvers, a shotgun, a rifle and more than 200 rounds of ammunition from the prison, made it first to San Antonio, then headed east. The gang was arrested but not before one of the seven, committed suicide. Two others have been executed, and three remain on death row.