Man Who Kidnapped, Raped And Murdered Ex-Girlfriend Put To Death

In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• Willie Pye, a Georgia man convicted of kidnapping, raping, and murdering his former girlfriend, was executed by lethal injection at a prison in Jackson, marking the state’s first execution in over four years.
• Despite appeals for clemency citing intellectual disability and inadequate legal representation, both the US Supreme Court and State Board of Pardons and Paroles denied last-minute requests to spare Pye’s life, reinstating his death sentence originally imposed in 1996 for the 1993 murder of Alice Yarbrough.

In a somber culmination of a long legal battle, Willie Pye, a Georgia man convicted of the heinous crimes of kidnapping, raping, and murdering his former girlfriend, met his end on Wednesday. 

The execution, carried out by lethal injection, marked a significant event for the southern US state, as it was the first such instance in over four years. 

Pye, aged 59, breathed his last at 11:03 pm local time at a prison facility in Jackson, Georgia.

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Despite fervent appeals for clemency, Pye’s fate remained unchanged as both the US Supreme Court and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles stood firm, rejecting a last-minute bid to spare him from the ultimate penalty. 

His defense team had argued vehemently, presenting Pye as intellectually disabled with an IQ of 68, and pointing to a childhood marked by abject poverty, neglect, and pervasive violence within his family. 

Moreover, they highlighted the inadequacies of his legal representation during the trial, citing a “racist, overworked public defender” who had since passed away.

The tragic saga began in 1996 when Pye was first sentenced to death for the brutal murder of his former girlfriend, Alice Yarbrough, which occurred in 1993. 

However, in a glimmer of hope for Pye, an appeals court in 2021 overturned his death sentence, citing ineffective legal representation. 

This reprieve was short-lived, as the death sentence was subsequently reinstated, sealing Pye’s fate once more.

In the moments leading up to his execution, Pye chose not to leave behind a final statement. 

However, he accepted a final prayer before the lethal injection was administered, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.

Pye’s execution adds to the limited number of such occurrences in the United States this year. 

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Notably, Kenneth Smith was put to death in Alabama in January, marking the country’s first execution using nitrogen gas. 

In February, Ivan Cantu faced the same fate in Texas via lethal injection. A scheduled execution by lethal injection in Idaho last month was halted due to technical difficulties with the intravenous line insertion.

The landscape of capital punishment in the United States continues to evolve, with 23 states having abolished the practice altogether. 

Additionally, the governors of six other states, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, have placed temporary holds on its use. 

In 2023, the United States saw a total of 24 executions, all of which were carried out through lethal injection.