Legacy of Redemption: Ramiro Gonzales Memorial Fund

On June 26, 2024, Ramiro Felix Gonzales was executed by the State of Texas for a crime he committed as an 18-year-old. He confessed in 2002 to the 2001 murder of Bridget Townsend, and was sentenced to death in 2006. But in the 18 years that followed, Ramiro found God, took accountability for his actions, and spread his message of "faith, hope, and love" to thousands around the world.

Ramiro found meaning and strength through education and faith, and sought to spread the love and self-esteem he worked so hard to attain. In his honor, we have established a memorial fund to support the work of Texas Prison Outreach (TPO), an organization that works within the Texas prison system to support people who are incarcerated to pursue their own journeys of personal growth, transformation, and redemption through faith-based programming and support services.

As a youth, Ramiro committed grievous harm. He killed Bridget Townsend and attacked another woman. He felt immense remorse for these crimes, but instead of being consumed by guilt and shame, Ramiro turned to God. He began to read, and study, and surround himself with people who would influence him positively. He sought relationships that would challenge him, and in turn he challenged those around him to grow and improve themselves as well.

In the eighteen years he spent on death row, Ramiro became a mature adult and a spiritual leader, taking full accountability for his crimes and working to improve himself. He poured himself into spiritual growth, his artwork, and most of all, his relationships with friends and family.

Ink drawing of Honus Wagner by Ramiro, 2021

Ink drawing of Christ's execution by Ramiro, 2024

Ramiro's efforts to atone for his sins led him to pursue in vivo kidney donation, a years-long endeavor that was thwarted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice despite a ready recipient and teams of transplant physicians ready to facilitate the procedure. He wrote thoughtful letters to the family of his victims expressing his remorse, and used his last statement before his execution to apologize to the Townsend family:

To the Townsend Family, I’m sorry I can’t articulate, I can’t put into words the pain I have caused y’all, the hurt...what I took away that I cannot give back. I hope this apology is enough. I lived the rest of this life for you guys to the best of my ability; for restitution, restoration, taking responsibility. I never stopped praying for all of you. I never stopped praying that you would forgive me and that one day I would have this opportunity to apologize. I owe all of you my life and I hope one day you will forgive me. I’m sorry.

Patricia, I’m sorry. David, I’m sorry. To all your family, I’m sorry. I just want you to know I love you guys and I lived the best that I could to give it all back. To my family, my friends thank you for all the support every decision I made everything I said in this penal system was based on how it will reflect on you guys. And Bridget, I lived my life for you guys. I love all y’all.

To the administration, [former]Warden Dickerson, [Chaplain] Hazlewood thank you for being so courageous for making decisions to make this penal system better. You guys are also my goal. It’s why I’ve been better. Giving me the responsibility and the opportunity to become responsible, to learn accountability, and to make good. Continue to fight the fight, especially in your faith. God Bless you all.

Ramiro's personal journey, his wise counsel, his grace, and his sense of humor deeply impacted numerous other people, both within and beyond the Polunsky Unit where he was incarcerated. He touched the lives of hundreds of law students, pen pals, attorneys, faith leaders, and others around the world who were inspired by his self-motivated transformation from directionless adolescent to grounded and spiritual man.

As a peer coordinator of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Faith Based Program, he led a pod of men in their own journeys, but Ramiro's leadership started to take hold long before Warden Daniel Dickerson brought the Faith Based Program to death row. When the "field ministers" arrived on death row, they looked to Ramiro as an established leader and he valued his relationships with inaugural Field Ministers Terry Solley and Hubert "Troup" Foster as friends and fellow men of faith.

Ramiro credited his own faith as not only transformative but empowering. Beyond disproving the prediction that he was a future danger, Ramiro showed the world that people are capable of change.

Even the State's own psychiatric expert at trial, Dr. Edward Gripon, met with Ramiro in 2021 and recanted his trial opinion that Ramiro would be a future danger--Dr. Gripon found Ramiro to be a "significantly different person both mentally and emotionally," demonstrating "a very positive change for the better." Dr. Gripon ultimately joined the calls for Ramiro's sentence to be commuted to life so he could serve others.

Video submitted to the Board of Pardons and Paroles on Ramiro's behalf

Unsurprisingly, Ramiro used his final interview with Execution Watch to share a message with his fellow incarcerated men to inspire change.

"Keep going, don't lose hope. Don't stop learning how to love, and love others. Don't stop showing mercy. When you have it, give it if you can. Don't stop making every effort to walk in the complete potential and purpose that you have as a human being. Don't let anything or anybody define you other than who you are."

Ramiro's life and legacy stand as an exceptional example of the power of redemption, and his story touched thousands of people across the United States and throughout the world.

In his honor, we have established this memorial fund to support the inspiring work of Texas Prison Outreach, the organization that supports the field ministers in TDCJ. TPO is run by former field minister Terry Solley, a close friend of Ramiro's who now serves as executive director.

Please donate to sustain this life-changing work on behalf of those incarcerated in Texas and those re-entering society after a period of incarceration.

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