(August 7, 2008)—Final appeals are pending as Texas death row inmate Heliberto Chi faces execution Thursday night over the 2001 slaying of his ex-boss.

The shooting took place during a robbery at a men's clothing store in Arlington.

The victim was Armand Paliotta.

Investigators say Chi, who's from Honduras, was in the U.S. illegally.

Lawyers for the Central American country say Chi was unable to contact anyone from his government, a violation of an international treaty, after he was arrested near Los Angeles.

Attorneys for Chi have appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

Also, Honduran consular officials say their government is lobbying U.S. authorities to block the execution.