Family remembers murdered firefighter as killer faces executed

Описание: By Tom Wright - Family, friends and co-workers of slain Port Arthur firefighter Willie Ryman plan to be in Huntsville this coming Wednesday for the execution of his killer.

Elroy Chester is scheduled to die in the Texas Execution Chamber June 12, two days shy of his 44th birthday.

Chester pleaded guilty to killing the firefighter 15 years ago after a six month crime spree.

You bring it back up, it get a little hard to talk about, says Port Arthur Fire Department Battalion Chief Patrick Murphy.

He not only worked with Willie Ryman, he grew up in the same Port Arthur neighbor with him.

Everybody around town knows his story, about now much of a good guy he was. If you had a project going he was there to help you. If you had party going, he was there to party with you.

Murphy will join a group of firefighters and police officers who will attend the execution of Chester.

In a six month period, from August 1997 to February 1998, Chester went on a crime spree, committing five murders, five attempted murders, three sexual assaults and two-dozen burglaries.

The last person he shot to death was Willie Ryman.

The off-duty Port Arthur firefighter stopped by his sister's house to check on his nieces. What he didn't know was they were under attack, and Elroy Chester was wait