Texas executes Ramiro Gonzales for the raping and kidnapping woman, 18, despite psychiatrist's shock change in testimony

A Texas man who admitted to kidnapping, sexually assaulting and shooting an 18 year old was executed Wednesday night - despite a psychiatrist's change in testimony.

Ramiro Gonzalez, 41, was pronounced dead at 6.50pm local time following a lethal injection at the State Penitentiary in Huntsville for the killing of Bridget Townsend in 2001.

Her remains were not found until one year later, when Gonzales led authorities to the spot in Southwest Texas where he left her body.

In the moments before he died Wednesday night, Gonzalez apologized to the victim's family. 

'I can't put into words the pain I have caused y'all, the hurt, what I took away that I cannot give back,' he said. 'I hope this apology is enough.' 

'I never stopped praying that you would forgive me and that one day I would have this opportunity to apologize,' he continued.

'I owe all of you my life and I hope one day you will forgive me.' 

Gonzalez was then injected with a fatal dose of pentobarbital.

As the drug took effect, he took seven breaths and then started making snoring noises.

Within less than a minute, all movement stopped, and authorities pronounced him dead. 

Gonzales was condemned for fatally shooting Townsend after stealing drugs and money and kidnapping her in January 2001 from a home in Bandera County, located northwest of San Antonio. 

He took her to his family's ranch in neighboring Medina County, where he sexually assaulted her and killed her. 

Townsend's body would not be found until October 2002, when Gonzalez led police to her remains after receiving two life sentences for kidnapping and raping another woman.