• Steven Nelson was executed by lethal injection in Texas for the murder of pastor Clint Dobson.
• Dobson was killed in March 2011 during a robbery inside NorthPointe Baptist Church.
• The execution marks the first in Texas in 2025 and the second in the United States this year.
• Nelson maintained his innocence, claiming others were responsible for Dobson's murder.
• The Dobson family expressed their desire to focus on Clint's memory rather than his killer.

Texas has executed Steven Nelson, a man condemned for the brutal murder of beloved pastor Clint Dobson in 2011. Nelson, aged 37, was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. CT on February 5, 2025, making it the first execution in Texas this year and the second nationwide. The execution occurred at the Huntsville Unit, where tensions continued to surround Nelson's conviction.

Nelson was convicted for the fatal beating and suffocation of Dobson, who was only 28 years old at the time of the incident. Dobson was found bound and suffocated with a plastic bag in his church, NorthPointe Baptist, where he had aimed to foster a community filled with young families and children. Judy Elliott, the church secretary, was also attacked but survived the incident, suffering severe injuries. Nelson's defense argued that he played a more minor role, asserting he was merely a lookout during the robbery and that two accomplices had committed the murder. However, evidence, including DNA matching and surveillance footage, pointed squarely toward him as the perpetrator.

During his trial, Nelson admitted to planning the robbery but insisted that he arrived at the church after the murder had taken place, a claim that was strongly disputed by the prosecution. The jury ultimately granted him the death penalty, rejecting the alternative of life without parole. In his final words, Nelson expressed his love for his new wife, Noa Dubois, and reiterated his belief in his innocence, saying, "It is what it is. I’m at peace and ready to be at home."

In the wake of the execution, the Dobson family released a statement, focusing on the positive memories of Clint rather than mourning the actions of his killer. "Steven Nelson forever changed our lives, but he has never occupied our minds," they stated, underlining their commitment to remembering the goodwill and kindness of the pastor rather than the crime that ended his life.

Attorney General Ken Paxton remarked that justice had finally been served. He expressed condolences to the family and friends of Dobson, stating that "victims deserve justice and criminals who commit heinous crimes must be punished." Amid calls for clemency, which ultimately proved unsuccessful, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals had denied multiple appeals, leaving Nelson with no options for reprieve.

As of this execution, Texas is set to carry out three more scheduled executions within the coming months, making it clear that the state continues to uphold capital punishment as a legal consequence for severe crimes. This incident also sparks questions about the ethics surrounding the death penalty and the ongoing debate on its effectiveness as a form of justice.

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