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Texas man who killed boy, drank his blood executed

Story highlights
  • Pablo Vasquez apologizes to family of victim before he is put to death
  • Pablo Vasquez was convicted in the 1998 death of a 12-year-old David Cardenas
  • Vasquez reportedly told police he drank the boy's blood and tried to decapitate him

(CNN) Pablo Vasquez, a Texas man who killed a 12-year-old boy in 1998 and reportedly drank his blood after a satanic calling, was executed Wednesday, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced.

"I am sorry to David's family. This is only way that I can be forgiven. You got your justice right here," Vasquez said.

Vasquez, 38, had appealed his execution, but a stay was denied and he was put to death at 6:35 p.m.

Vasquez was convicted of killing 12-year-old David Cardenas in Donna, Texas, 18 years ago. Authorities said Vasquez and his cousin met the boy at a party.

On the night of April 18, 1998, "Vasquez struck the victim in the head with a piece of pipe and a shovel," the Department of Criminal Justice said. "The victim's body was buried behind a residence. ... Vasquez took a ring and a necklace from the victim."

When the boy's' body was found, "he was missing one of his arms and part of the other, had no skin on his back, and had a hole in the back of his head," court documents state.

Vasquez "admitted to hitting Cardenas in the head with a pipe and cutting his throat," the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said. "He also stated that he and an accomplice dragged Cardenas's body to a field for burial."

Vasquez told police in a videotaped interview that he drank the boy's blood, according to The Monitor newspaper in South Texas.

"The blood was dripping, and (I) got it all over my face, so I don't know. I mean, something just told me drink," Vasquez said, according to a transcript of the statement.

Vasquez said he tried to cut off the boy's head, according to The Monitor. A detective asked Vasquez why.

"The devil was telling me to take it away from, to keep it, keep it, couldn't come off," Vasquez said. "I was just freaking out cause I was hearing that."

The execution is Texas' sixth of the year.

CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report.
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