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A Texas antheral was executed connected Tuesday evening 13 years aft brutally sidesplitting a beloved grandma erstwhile helium acceptable her connected occurrence astatine a state station.
Matthew Johnson, 49, was convicted of the heinous execution of Nancy Harris, 76, a state presumption clerk helium doused with lighter fluid and acceptable connected occurrence during a 2012 robbery in Garland, TX.
He was pronounced dormant astatine 6:53 p.m. aft giving a last statement.
"First and foremost, I would similar to springiness each praises to God. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t beryllium present connected this Earth. I convey him for the beingness helium has fixed me," Johnson said. "To Mrs. Harris’ family, arsenic I look astatine each and each 1 of you, I spot her connected that day. I conscionable delight inquire for y’all’s forgiveness. I ne'er meant to wounded her. I commune that she’s the archetypal idiosyncratic that I spot erstwhile I unfastened my eyes, and I volition walk eternity with her."
TEXAS EXECUTES MAN 20 YEARS AFTER HE STRANGLED, STABBED A YOUNG MOTHER TO DEATH
Matthew Johnson, a Texas decease enactment inmate, was convicted of dousing 76-year-old state presumption clerk Nancy Harris with lighter fluid and mounting her connected occurrence during a 2012 robbery. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
Johnson went connected to apologize to his woman and children and admit his wrongdoing, saying: "I made incorrect choices, I’ve made incorrect decisions, and present I wage the consequences."
He addressed his chap decease enactment inmates, telling them "I emotion y’all man, y’all proceed on. Jesus is the mode brothers, helium is the lone way."
Johnson was 36 astatine the clip of the deadly attack.
The fatal onslaught happened precisely 13 years ago, connected May 20, 2012. Court documents, obtained by The Associated Press, amusement Johnson walked into the convenience store Harris was moving astatine with a vessel of lighter fluid and a cigaret lighter.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said Johnson past went down the antagonistic and stole cigarettes, lighters and currency from the registry earlier dumping the lighter fluid connected Harris and mounting her connected occurrence earlier exiting the store.
He was arrested astir an hr aft the attack, according to tribunal documents obtained by The Associated Press.
TEXAS EXECUTION OF 'DESERT KILLER,' ON DEATH ROW FOR 30 YEARS, BLOCKED BY COURT
Matthew Johnson was enactment to decease successful Texas. (AP)
Officials said Harris, who had worked astatine the state presumption for much than 10 years, died 5 days aft the attack, but was capable to picture Johnson to constabulary earlier her death.
At his 2013 trial, the AP reported Johnson admitted to mounting Harris connected fire, expressing remorse and calling himself "the lowest scum of the earth."
Texas State Penitentiary astatine Huntsville. (Google Maps)
"I wounded an guiltless woman. I took a quality being's life. I was the origin of that. It was not my intentions to – to termination her oregon to wounded her, but I did," said Johnson.
During his sentencing, Johnson testified that helium had been nether the power of drugs and intoxicant during the robbery, claiming the lighter fluid was lone meant to scare Harris, and helium had nary volition to termination her.
Johnson tried to entreaty his decease sentence, but his attempts failed.
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Johnson's execution volition people the 4th successful the authorities this twelvemonth and would bring the full fig of executions successful the U.S. to 18 truthful acold this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is simply a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, nationalist transgression cases, amerciable immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas tin beryllium sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
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