Former Texas student executed for double killing

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – A former graduate student convicted of a double murder a dozen years ago has been executed in Texas.

Vaughn Ross received lethal injection Thursday evening for the January 2001 shootings of an 18-year-old woman with whom he had been feuding and an associate university dean who was with her.

Ross was convicted of killing his girlfriend’s sister, Viola Ross McVade, and 53-year-old Douglas Birdsall. Court documents said Birdsall had been looking for a prostitute and that a friend of McVade introduced them that evening.

Authorities believe McVade and Birdsall were ambushed in an alley behind Ross’ apartment after Ross had ordered McVade’s sister to leave.

The 41-year-old Ross was the 10th Texas inmate executed this year.

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