HARRISBURG, Pa. – Governor Tom Corbett today signed an execution warrant for Miguel A. Padilla, who was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Alfred Mignogna, Frederick Rickabaugh and Stephen Heiss, outside an Altoona private social club in August of 2005.

Padilla is incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution at Greene and his execution has been scheduled for November 13, 2014. The execution warrant signed today for Padilla was Governor Corbett’s 37th warrant signed since taking office.

Executions in Pennsylvania are carried out by lethal injection.

Padilla asked a federal judge on Monday to stay his execution while he appeals his sentences.

Case Background:

Padilla, now 34, was formally sentenced to death in February 2007 in the Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Division of Blair County.

Padilla showed up at a private social club in Altoona with two friends, Travis and Shirley Shumaker, in the early morning hours of August 28, 2005.

After being denied entry into the club, Travis Shumaker began arguing with Alfred Mignogna, the owner of the club, as well as Frederick Rickabaugh, the bouncer of the club. During this time, Padilla walked away from the group and retrieved a firearm from Mr. Shumaker’s vehicle. Returning from the vehicle, Padilla approached Mr. Rickabaugh from behind and fired three shots into his back. Padilla then turned to his left and fired more shots at Mr. Mignogna from approximately fifteen feet away. Stephen Heiss, a bystander who was a patron at the club, was also hit by the gunshots unintentionally.

Padilla immediately fled the scene and shortly thereafter, placed a call to 911 and indicated he “thought he had hurt someone.” Police located Padilla outside the front of the Shumaker home and took him into custody.

Trial was held in Blair County where Padilla was found guilty of three counts of murder of the first degree on September 12, 2006. The jury returned death verdicts two days later, and the court formally sentenced Padilla to death on February 1, 2007.