Published: October 28, 2008 10:32 pm      

Man executed for rape, murder of 7-year-old Hockley girl

A man convicted of the 1995 rape and murder of a 7-year-old Hockley resident was executed at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Walls Unit Tuesday, bringing the total number of death row inmates executed in Texas this year to 13.

According to information released by TDCJ, 47-year-old Eric Charles Nenno was convicted of capital murder in 1996 following his connection to the death of the young Nicole Benton.

He was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Before the lethal injection began to flow through his veins, Nenno declined the opportunity to make a last statement, acknowledging two of his attorneys and a personal friend before laying silent.

Following the execution, none of the witnesses for Nicole Benton — including her father, Buddy Benton, or her uncle, Donald Benton — wished to make public statements.

According to information released from the Texas Attorney General’s office, Nenno was convicted of capital murder by a Harris County jury on Jan. 18, 1996.

On March 23, 1995, Nenno consumed six beers and approached Benton, who was playing in her front yard, to lure her into his home.

Once at home, Nenno choked and raped Benton then hid her body in the attic of the house and stuffed her clothing in a filing cabinet.

When police questioned Nenno, he admitted to raping and murdering the child. An autopsy confirmed that Benton was choked to death and there had been attempted sexual assault both before and after her death.

Police found Benton’s clothes in the filing cabinet. Additionally, pieces of Benton’s hair were found on Nenno’s carpet, and his DNA was found beneath the girl’s fingernails.

During Nenno’s trial, the state presented testimony from a 9-year-old girl who testified that Nenno had inappropriately touched her in the past, and a detective testified that Nenno had admitted to having sexual fantasies about little girls.

One of the girls, the detective said, was the 10-year-old daughter of one of Nenno’s ex-girlfriends.

Finally, the state presented testimony from an FBI agent who categorized Nenno as a pedophile after Nenno himself admitted to touching himself inappropriately while watching children playing in a park.

For his last meal, Nenno requested a grilled cheeseburger, four fish patties, six hard boiled eggs and coffee.

The next execution — that of 42-year-old Gregory Wright — is scheduled to take place at the TDCJ Walls Unit on Thursday.