Texas inmate who 'wished to die' executed by lethal injection

A Texas inmate convicted of killing a police officer was executed, after he waived his appeals, saying he wanted to die, prison officials and local media said.

Death Row inmate Daniel Lopez, 27, was killed by lethal injection at 6:31 pm (2331 GMT), according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark.

Lopez was convicted for the 2009 killing of Lieutenant Stuart Alexander, whom he ran over in a car as he was being sought by police, according to CBS television affiliate KWTX.

He chose to waive his appeals because he wanted to be executed and the court ruled that he was competent to make that decision, KWTX reported.

In a statement before his death, Lopez apologized to his family and the victim's relatives.

"I would like to thank you. I hope this execution helps my family and also the victim's family. This was never meant to be -- sure beyond my power," he said.  

"I can only walk the path before me and make the best of it. I am sorry for putting y'all through this. I am sorry, I love you. I am ready."

In his final comment, he said: "May we all go to Heaven."

Alexander was standing near a highway exit and had erected markers when Lopez struck him with an SUV, KWTX said.

He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death on April 2, 2010.

Lopez's is the 10th execution this year in Texas, the state that executes the most people, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.