Texas Executes Richard Lee Tabler for Quadruple Homicide
On Thursday, Texas carried out the execution of Richard Lee Tabler, a 46-year-old inmate who was sentenced to death for fatally shooting four people in a fit of rage 20 years prior.
Background of the Crime
In November 2004, in Killeen, Texas, Tabler, then 25, engaged in a series of violent acts that resulted in the deaths of Mohamed-Amine Rahmouni, Haitham Frank Zayed, Tiffany Loraine Dotson, and Amanda Benefield. According to statements made by Tabler, Rahmouni, the co-owner of a local strip club, had threatened to harm Tabler’s loved ones, leading him to shoot Rahmouni and his friend Zayed. Two days later, Tabler murdered Dotson, a dancer at the club he had been seeing, and Benefield, another dancer, after Dotson began questioning him about the previous murders.
Trial and Sentencing
Tabler was convicted of murdering the two men and sentenced to death. As prosecutors had successfully secured a death sentence for the murders of the men, they did not pursue charges related to the killings of the young women.
Tabler’s Redemption and Execution
During his two decades on Death Row, Tabler claimed to have found God and established a ministry for fellow inmates. He created artwork, wrote several books, and shared advice with young people on how to avoid his path. Tabler’s mother, sister, and wife, who requested anonymity to avoid harassment, spoke to USA TODAY, expressing their belief that he had transformed into a compassionate and selfless man who did not deserve to be executed.
In a statement released through his wife, Tabler acknowledged his guilt and expressed peace with his impending death: "I’m going to a far better place than where I am… A lot of people cannot understand how I can have such peace and joy in my heart in the face of my own death, but I know it’s the strength, grace and mercy of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has been with me every step of the way. The day of my execution is the beginning of my real life."
Nationwide Execution Trends
Tabler’s execution marks the fifth execution carried out in the United States in 2025 and the second in Texas this year. Notably, in 2023, the U.S. executed more of its citizens than any other country except for Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia.
Twelve more executions are scheduled for the remainder of 2025, with executions planned in Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Arizona, and Louisiana. Louisiana is preparing to adopt the controversial nitrogen gas method of execution, which was recently employed by Alabama.
