Oklahoma and Texas execute two men in one day; U.S. total reaches 37 this year

Oklahoma and Texas each carried out an execution on Thursday, Nov. 12. Together they brought the number of people executed in the United States this year to 37 ².

Oklahoma executed James Pavatt by lethal injection for the 2001 killing of Rob Andrew, who was the estranged husband of Pavatt's lover, Brenda Andrew. Newsweek describes it as a murder-for-hire killing ¹. He was pronounced dead at 10:12 a.m. local time ².

On tapeKOCO 5 News · Nov 12

▶2:34

Pavatt denied guilt. Prison officials called the execution "uneventful," and he gave no last words, according to local station KOKH, as reported by Newsweek ¹. The state's parole board voted 3-2 against recommending clemency (mercy) after he told it on Oct. 14 that he did not shoot anyone ².

I am not guilty of shooting anyone

Pavatt fled to Mexico after the killing with Brenda Andrew, who is 62 ¹. She remains on Oklahoma's death row and is appealing her conviction, according to a search summary of coverage, so she was not part of Thursday's execution ¹.

From Channel GOPTalarico says he beat $300 million in TexasJames Talarico · 178 plays · captioned, with the source named

Texas follows hours later

Texas executed John Allen Rubio, 46, at the state prison in Huntsville. He was pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m. ¹. He was convicted of the 2003 stabbing and beheading of three children: Julissa Quesada, 3, John E. Rubio, 14 months, and Mary Jane Rubio, 2 months ¹.

His first conviction was overturned in 2007. He was retried in 2010, found guilty again and again sentenced to death ¹. Last month, a state judge found him mentally competent to be executed, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a request to halt it ¹.

On tapeKOCO 5 News · Nov 12

▶1:16

In a jailhouse interview on Oct. 14, Rubio expressed remorse and said he had found faith ¹.

Many people see me, and I'm stained by the crime. They don't even look beyond that. They just want to condemn,

A national count still climbing

Newsweek says this is the second time this year the two states have executed someone on the same day ¹. Texas and Oklahoma have carried out 12 executions this year. Florida is far ahead with 19, tying the state record it set last year ¹.

Texas used pentobarbital, the same drug involved in Tennessee's failed attempt on Christa Pike on Sept. 30 ². Pike survived two doses, and Gov. Bill Lee then paused executions in Tennessee and ordered an outside review ¹. Rubio had sued Texas in August over its use of the drug ¹.

Oklahoma used a three-drug combination that does not include pentobarbital ². At least eight people have been executed nationwide since the Tennessee failure ¹.

What happens next: more executions are likely, with Florida already at 19 this year. That matters because the Tennessee case showed that a state can fail to carry out an execution as planned. It also showed that outside review can follow.

The Record

1. Jan 1, 2007Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturns Rubio's first conviction; he is retried in 2010 and sentenced to death again ¹.
2. Sep 30, 2026Tennessee's attempt to execute Christa Pike fails after she survives two doses of pentobarbital; Gov. Bill Lee pauses executions ¹.
3. Nov 12, 2026Oklahoma executes James Pavatt at 10:12 a.m.; Texas executes John Allen Rubio at 6:47 p.m. ¹².

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<h2>Oklahoma and Texas execute two men in one day; U.S. total reaches 37 this year</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Courts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/oklahoma-and-texas-execute-two-men-in-one-day-u-s-total-reaches-37-this-year">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 12, 2026.</em></p> <p>Oklahoma and Texas each carried out an execution on Thursday, Nov. 12. Together they brought the number of people executed in the United States this year to 37 .</p> <p>Oklahoma executed James Pavatt by lethal injection for the 2001 killing of Rob Andrew, who was the estranged husband of Pavatt&#39;s lover, Brenda Andrew. Newsweek describes it as a murder-for-hire killing . He was pronounced dead at 10:12 a.m. local time .</p> <p>Pavatt denied guilt. Prison officials called the execution &quot;uneventful,&quot; and he gave no last words, according to local station KOKH, as reported by Newsweek . The state&#39;s parole board voted 3-2 against recommending clemency (mercy) after he told it on Oct. 14 that he did not shoot anyone .</p> <blockquote><p>I am not guilty of shooting anyone</p><p>&mdash; James Pavatt, Oklahoma death-row inmate, executed Nov. 12, 2026</p></blockquote> <p>Pavatt fled to Mexico after the killing with Brenda Andrew, who is 62 . She remains on Oklahoma&#39;s death row and is appealing her conviction, according to a search summary of coverage, so she was not part of Thursday&#39;s execution .</p> <h2>Texas follows hours later</h2> <p>Texas executed John Allen Rubio, 46, at the state prison in Huntsville. He was pronounced dead at 6:47 p.m. . He was convicted of the 2003 stabbing and beheading of three children: Julissa Quesada, 3, John E. Rubio, 14 months, and Mary Jane Rubio, 2 months .</p> <p>His first conviction was overturned in 2007. He was retried in 2010, found guilty again and again sentenced to death . Last month, a state judge found him mentally competent to be executed, and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a request to halt it .</p> <p>In a jailhouse interview on Oct. 14, Rubio expressed remorse and said he had found faith .</p> <blockquote><p>Many people see me, and I&#39;m stained by the crime. They don&#39;t even look beyond that. They just want to condemn,</p><p>&mdash; John Allen Rubio, Texas death-row inmate, executed Nov. 12, 2026</p></blockquote> <h2>A national count still climbing</h2> <p>Newsweek says this is the second time this year the two states have executed someone on the same day . Texas and Oklahoma have carried out 12 executions this year. Florida is far ahead with 19, tying the state record it set last year .</p> <p>Texas used pentobarbital, the same drug involved in Tennessee&#39;s failed attempt on Christa Pike on Sept. 30 . Pike survived two doses, and Gov. Bill Lee then paused executions in Tennessee and ordered an outside review . Rubio had sued Texas in August over its use of the drug .</p> <p>Oklahoma used a three-drug combination that does not include pentobarbital . At least eight people have been executed nationwide since the Tennessee failure .</p> <p>What happens next: more executions are likely, with Florida already at 19 this year. That matters because the Tennessee case showed that a state can fail to carry out an execution as planned. It also showed that outside review can follow.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/oklahoma-and-texas-execute-two-men-in-one-day-u-s-total-reaches-37-this-year">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/oklahoma-and-texas-execute-two-men-in-one-day-u-s-total-reaches-37-this-year.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. Newsweek, “Texas, Oklahoma Men Executed on the Same Day” (2026-11-13). newsweek.com/james-pavatt-john-rubio-executed-12708299
2. Yahoo News, “Texas, Oklahoma carry out double execution” (2026-11-13). yahoo.com/news/us/articles/texas-oklahoma-carry-double-execu

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