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Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Murderer Matthew Lee Johnson's Final Words Before Texas Execution
A Texas man asked for forgiveness before he was executed on Tuesday for the murder of a grandmother who he set on fire during a robbery 13 years ago. Matthew Lee Johnson, 49, received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He was condemned for the May 20, 2012, attack on 76-year-old Nancy Harris, who he doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze in the Dallas suburb of Garland. She died days afterward. "First and foremost, I would like to give all praises to God. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here on this Earth. I thank him for the life he has given me," Johnson said in his final statement, according to a transcript provided to Newsweek by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He addressed his victim's family, saying: "As I look at each one of you, I can see her on that day. I just please ask for y'all's forgiveness. I never meant to hurt her." He added: "I pray that she's the first person I see when I open my eyes and I will spend eternity with her." This is a breaking story. More to follow. Related Articles Texas Chlorine Gas Leak Triggers 'Remain Indoors' AlertTexas To Execute Man Who Set Fire To Grandmother19 Abandoned Dogs Rescued From 'House of Horrors' in TexasCouple Go to Shelter Looking for a Chihuahua-Realize 'Dog Picks the Family' 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- The Sun
Killer's creepy final message to family of victim he burned to death moments before 26minute lethal injection execution
A KILLER who burned an elderly store clerk to death gave a chilling message to the victim's family moments before he was executed. Matthew Lee Johnson's 26-minute death by lethal injection came exactly 13 years after he set great-grandma Nancy Harris, 76, alight during a robbery. 3 3 The clerk suffered severe burns and died several days later following the convenience store heist in Dallas, 2012. Depraved Johnson, 49, was pronounced dead at 6:53pm on Tuesday. His eventual death came about 26 minutes after officials injected a cocktail of drugs into his arm at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. Leading up to the execution, Johnson begged the victim's family for forgiveness. Turning to a window a few feet away where Harris' family were watching the execution - the sick killer pleaded with the grieving relatives. After begging for forgiveness - he bizarrely stated that he wanted to see slain Harris again. Johnson said: 'As I look at each one of you, I can see her on that day. 'I please ask for your forgiveness. I never meant to hurt her." He stated: "I pray that she's the first person I see when I open my eyes and I spend eternity with." The death row inmate also asked his wife and daughters to forgive him. I'm a death row executioner - a killer's head burst into flames when I put him in electric chair The dad said: 'I made wrong choices, I've made wrong decisions, and now I pay the consequences.' Since the heinous attack was partially caught on camera, Harris was able to describe Johnson before she succumbed to her injuries. During his 2013 trial, Johnson admitted to the brutal burning. He expressed regret for the murder and branded himself "the lowest scum of the earth". The murderer claimed he was high on crack when he set the victim on fire and was therefore not aware of his actions. He said at the time: 'I hurt an innocent woman. I took a human being's life. I was the cause of that. Lethal injection controversy in South Carolina By Patrick Harrington, foreign news reporter THE three most recent executions in South Carolina were by lethal injection, and the cases have sparked controversy. It took around 20 minutes before each of the three men were officially declared dead. Complicating the situation is a law passed in 2023 which restricts much of the information about executions being made public. It requires the identities of execution team members remain secret and forbids the publication of information about how the drugs are bought by the state. This follows a growing number of pharmaceutical companies refusing to sell their drugs to be used in executions. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit challenging the state law in January. It wrote: "This ban not only further departs from the state's history of making execution-related information publicly available but criminalizes the disclosure of this information by anyone for any reason. "It thus silences the scientists, doctors, journalists, former correctional officials, lawyers, and citizens who have scrutinized the safety, efficacy, morality, and legality of South Carolina's use of lethal injection." The state has released only one of two available autopsies from the recent executions, and Brad Sigmon's lawyers say it shows an unusual amount of fluid in the man's lungs. 'It was not my intentions to — to kill her or to hurt her, but I did.' The killer's legal team previously argued their client had a drug addiction and was sexually abused as a child. Harris was survived by four sons, 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. It comes after a serial killer once linked to the OJ Simpson murder case sent a message to Donald Trump in the final moments before he was executed. Glen Rogers, who claimed to have killed up to 70 people, was put to death by lethal injection on May 15 at Florida State Prison. The 62-year-old, dubbed the Casanova Killer due to his charm and good looks, was executed for the 1995 slaying of a woman in a Tampa motel.
Daily Express
21-05-2025
- Daily Express
Texas man who set store clerk on fire executed by lethal injection
Published on: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Published on: Wed, May 21, 2025 By: AFP Text Size: Johnson was sentenced to death for the 2012 murder of Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old grandmother. - Afp pic WASHINGTON: A man who pleaded guilty to killing a convenience store worker by setting her on fire was put to death in Texas on Tuesday in the second of three executions to be carried out in the United States this week. Matthew Johnson, 49, was executed by lethal injection at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville and pronounced dead at 6:53 pm local time (2353 GMT). Johnson was sentenced to death for the 2012 murder of Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old grandmother. He admitted at trial to pouring lighter fluid on Harris and setting her alight during an early morning robbery of a store in Garland, Texas. Harris suffered severe burns and was taken off life support five days later. In his final statement, Johnson thanked God and asked for forgiveness from the victim's family, saying 'I never meant to hurt her.' Advertisement He also apologized to his wife and asked for her forgiveness, along with the forgiveness of their three daughters. 'Just know that it's nothing that y'all did,' he said to his family. 'I made wrong choices, I've made wrong decisions, and now I pay the consequences.' Johnson's execution was scheduled to take place just hours after the midwestern state of Indiana carried out its second execution since 2009. Benjamin Ritchie, 45, was put to death by lethal injection overnight at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City for the 2000 murder of officer Bill Toney, the Indiana Department of Correction said in a statement. Toney, a father of two, was shot to death after pursuing a van that had been stolen by Ritchie and another man from a gas station in the town of Beech Grove. The other execution scheduled this week is in the southern state of Tennessee. Oscar Smith, 75, is to be put to death by lethal injection on Thursday for the 1989 shooting and stabbing murders of his estranged wife, Judy Smith, and her two sons, Chad and Jason Burnett. There have been 18 executions in the United States this year: 14 by lethal injection, two by firing squad and two using nitrogen gas. The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others -- California, Oregon and Pennsylvania -- have moratoriums in place. President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment and called on his first day in office for an expansion of its use 'for the vilest crimes.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Free Malaysia Today
21-05-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Texas man who set store clerk on fire executed by lethal injection
Of the 18 executions in the US this year, 14 have been by lethal injection, two by firing squad and two used nitrogen gas. (AP pic) WASHINGTON : A man who pleaded guilty to killing a convenience store worker by setting her on fire was put to death in Texas yesterday in the second of three executions to be carried out in the US this week. Matthew Johnson, 49, was executed by lethal injection at the Texas state penitentiary in Huntsville and pronounced dead at 6.53pm local time. Johnson was sentenced to death for the 2012 murder of Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old grandmother. He admitted at trial to pouring lighter fluid on Harris and setting her alight during an early morning robbery of a store in Garland, Texas. Harris suffered severe burns and was taken off life support five days later. In his final statement, Johnson thanked God and asked for forgiveness from the victim's family, saying 'I never meant to hurt her'. He also apologized to his wife and asked for her forgiveness, along with the forgiveness of their three daughters. 'Just know that it's nothing that y'all did,' he said to his family. 'I made wrong choices, I've made wrong decisions, and now I pay the consequences.' Johnson's execution was scheduled to take place just hours after the midwestern state of Indiana carried out its second execution since 2009. Benjamin Ritchie, 45, was put to death by lethal injection overnight at the Indiana state prison in Michigan City for the 2000 murder of officer Bill Toney, the Indiana department of correction said in a statement. Toney, a father of two, was shot to death after pursuing a van that had been stolen by Ritchie and another man from a gas station in the town of Beech Grove. The other execution scheduled this week is in the southern state of Tennessee. Oscar Smith, 75, is to be put to death by lethal injection tomorrow for the 1989 shooting and stabbing murders of his estranged wife, Judy Smith, and her two sons, Chad and Jason Burnett. There have been 18 executions in the US this year: 14 by lethal injection, two by firing squad and two using nitrogen gas. The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others – California, Oregon and Pennsylvania – have moratoriums in place. President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment and called on his first day in office for an expansion of its use 'for the vilest crimes.'
Malay Mail
21-05-2025
- Malay Mail
US continues spate of executions as Texas lethally injects man behind 2012 burning death of store clerk
WASHINGTON, May 21 — A man who pleaded guilty to killing a convenience store worker by setting her on fire was put to death in Texas on Tuesday in the second of three executions to be carried out in the United States this week. Matthew Johnson, 49, was executed by lethal injection at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville and pronounced dead at 6:53 pm local time (2353 GMT). Johnson was sentenced to death for the 2012 murder of Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old grandmother. He admitted at trial to pouring lighter fluid on Harris and setting her alight during an early morning robbery of a store in Garland, Texas. Harris suffered severe burns and was taken off life support five days later. In his final statement, Johnson thanked God and asked for forgiveness from the victim's family, saying 'I never meant to hurt her.' He also apologized to his wife and asked for her forgiveness, along with the forgiveness of their three daughters. 'Just know that it's nothing that y'all did,' he said to his family. 'I made wrong choices, I've may wrong decisions, and now I pay the consequences.' Johnson's execution was scheduled to take place just hours after the midwestern state of Indiana carried out its second execution since 2009. Benjamin Ritchie, 45, was put to death by lethal injection overnight at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City for the 2000 murder of officer Bill Toney, the Indiana Department of Correction said in a statement. Toney, a father of two, was shot to death after pursuing a van that had been stolen by Ritchie and another man from a gas station in the town of Beech Grove. The other execution scheduled this week is in the southern state of Tennessee. Oscar Smith, 75, is to be put to death by lethal injection on Thursday for the 1989 shooting and stabbing murders of his estranged wife, Judy Smith, and her two sons, Chad and Jason Burnett. There have been 18 executions in the United States this year: 14 by lethal injection, two by firing squad and two using nitrogen gas. The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others – California, Oregon and Pennsylvania – have moratoriums in place. President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment and called on his first day in office for an expansion of its use 'for the vilest crimes.' — AFP
