Texas Death Row: Brothers Executed Weeks Apart For Brutal Roadside Beating

To call the night frustrating would be a huge understatement. It had been an infuriating night.

And it was a night that led to unspeakable and senseless violence.

On December 11, 1978 brothers Curtis Harris (17) and Danny Harris (18) were traveling with a friend James Manuel, and Curtis' girlfriend Valerie Rencher (16) to visit a friend in Bryan, Texas, only to discover she was not home.

Then the car would not start. The brothers took their anger out of the car, tearing up the interior. The friends began to walk down Sandy Point Road, looking for a neighbor to help. A man on his porch said he had no cables to lend.

Read More: Texas Death Row: Notable Last Meals (And Why There Are No More) |

Eventually, the friends were able to flag down a passing vehicle. Timothy Merka (27), an employee of nearby Texas A&M, was happy to help. He had cables in the back of his truck.

However, after 30 minutes, the brother's car still did not start. Merka removed the cables, and while still acting as the Good Samaritan, he suggested a man down the road who could still help get the car running.

This latest setback pushed the brothers over the edge. After a brief discussion, Curtis was handed a car jack, and began to beat Tim Merka to death, while Danny held him down to make sure the job got done. Merka died after 15 blows to the head.

The brothers then stole Merka's wallet, truck, and shotgun, leaving Merka's body in a ditch. Still filled to the brim with anger and adrenaline, they then robbed a convenience store of the money in the till and a change bottle with donations to the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Read More: Texas Death Row History: Texas Has Executed Brothers Six Times

The brothers would be convicted of these crimes, largely based on the testimony of Valerie and the convenience store clerk. The only physical evidence was Merka's personal possessions which were found in the woods behind the Harris home.

After the usual series of appeals, the brothers were both executed in July 1993. These were Danny's last words:

I would like to tell my family I love them very dearly, and I know they love me. I love all of the people who supported me all of these years. I would like to tell the Merka family I love them, too. I plead with all the teenagers to stop the violence and to accept Jesus Christ and find victory. Today I have victory in Christ and I thank Jesus for taking my spirit into His precious hands. Thank you, Jesus.