FLORENCE, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona prisoner convicted of killing another man by throwing gasoline at him and lighting a match was put to death Wednesday, the first of three executions planned this week around the U.S.
Leroy Dean McGill, 63, was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. PT following a lethal injection at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, corrections officials said. McGill drew the death penalty for his murder conviction in the killing of Charles Perez, who was attacked with his girlfriend in a north Phoenix apartment on July 13, 2002.
John Barcello, deputy director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry said McGill’s last meal included onion rings, bread and butter, chocolate cake and a green salad. He quoted McGill’s last words as: “I just want to thank everyone for being so accommodating and nice.”
“Today’s process went according to plan,” Barcello said.
Media witness Josh Kelety from The Associated Press said he heard McGill at one point say: “I’m going home soon.”
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, whose office pressed for the execution, said: “My thoughts today are with the family and the loved ones of Charles Perez and Nova Banta."
Authorities said McGill threw the gasoline and a lit match at Perez and Perez’s girlfriend, Nova Banta, as they sat on a sofa in a north Phoenix apartment on July 13 of that year. Perez and Banta had accused McGill of stealing a gun from the apartment before the attack. At the time, McGill was using methamphetamine and hadn’t slept in several days.
Banta survived the attack, but Perez died.
Twelve people have been executed so far this year in the United States. Tennessee and Florida each are scheduled to carry out an execution Thursday.
At the Arizona trial, Banta testified that McGill told her and Perez not to talk behind people's backs. Before they could respond, McGill lit them on fire, authorities said.
Source: WPLG
