A Texas dad who said his 3 young children were possessed is set to be executed Thursday for killing them, and says ‘I’m ready to be with my children’

John Allen Rubio is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday, November 12, for the murders of three children, including his own two-month-old daughter. As the date approaches, the Texas man reportedly said he is ready to be with his children.

As reported by news.com.au, the victims were Julissa Quesada, 3, John Esteban Rubio, 1, and two-month-old Mary Jane Rubio. Court documents indicate that while Mary Jane was his biological child, Rubio treated the two older children as his own.

The children were killed in a home that lacked basic utilities like electricity or running water. Before the killings, Rubio asked his girlfriend and the children’s mother, Angela Camacho, how she would react if he killed the children, a comment she reportedly dismissed because she thought he was joking.

Rubio believed evil spirits had taken hold of the children

Rubio claimed the children were possessed by evil spirits, specifically identifying the spirit of his late grandmother as one of the forces he believed had taken hold of them. He stabbed and decapitated the children with Camacho’s assistance. Court filings state that Camacho then asked Rubio to kill her as well, but he was unable to complete the act after attempting to choke her.

Following the killings, the pair went to a supermarket to buy milk and reportedly discussed the possibility of going to jail. Rubio believed they should turn themselves in, reasoning that everyone makes mistakes. Authorities were alerted after Camacho’s brother, Jose Lopez, discovered the bodies during a visit to the home.

Rubio was first sentenced to death in November 2003, but that conviction was overturned in 2007. A retrial in 2010 resulted in a second guilty verdict and death sentence.

Throughout the legal process, Rubio’s defense team pursued an insanity plea, with friends and family testifying about his history of hallucinations and delusions. However, evidence from mental health experts remained conflicting, and the insanity plea was not successful.

Camacho is currently serving three life sentences for her role in the murders. The couple had a history of instability, including a period living on the streets while Camacho was pregnant with John in 2001.

Child Protective Services had previously taken the two older children into custody until the parents completed parenting classes and demonstrated the ability to maintain a steady income. During this time, Rubio worked washing cars to provide money for the household.

His legal team made multiple efforts to halt the execution. Lethal injection has faced scrutiny nationally after a failed execution in Tennessee, where medical staff could not secure a vein. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Rubio’s request for a stay, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously rejected clemency, leaving the November 12 date in place.