| Vaughn Ross | |
| Birth Date: | 4 September 1971 |
| Birth Place: | St. Louis County, Missouri, U.S. |
| Penalty: | Death (September 27, 2002) |
| Death Place: | Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Victims: | 2 |
| Locations: | Lubbock, Texas |
| Conviction: | Capital murder |
| Criminal Status: | Executed |
| Death Cause: | Execution by lethal injection |
| Country: | United States |
Vaughn Ross (September 4, 1971 – July 18, 2013) was a Texas murderer. He was a graduate student at Texas Tech University before being convicted for the January 31, 2001, murders of Douglas Birdsall, 53, and Viola Ross McVade, 18, in Lubbock County, Texas.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Viola was the sister of Ross's girlfriend. Douglas Birdsall had been the associate dean at the Texas Tech library. Ross shot both victims. Later the same day, a mountain biker came across the murder scene and found both Douglas's and Viola's bodies in a car.[5] DNA on a latex glove found in Birdsall's car and a sweatshirt Vaughn was wearing had blood of Douglas Birdsall; these were two things that linked Ross to the double murder.[5] In 2002, Ross was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death by lethal injection by a jury.[6]
Ross received attention in Sweden after he agreed to be part of a special theme week about the death penalty in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.[7] Aftonbladet covered his case and his last week alive before his execution and reported live from outside the prison on the day of the execution.[8]
Ross left a final statement before being executed which was revealed to Aftonbladet reporter Carina Bergfeldt.[1] He is buried at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery.