Inmate’s last words before execution for shooting dead friend’s dad | US News

A man who was executed yesterday shared an urgent message before he died for young people who are struggling with their mental health.

Casey McWhorter, who shot and killed his friend’s dad during a pre-planned robbery in 1993, was killed by lethal injection yesterday in Alabama, the US, over 30 years after the crime happened.

But before he died at the age of 49, he urged other young people to stop and think before they make a life-changing mistake like his.

McWhorter was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death at the age of 18 after he shot and killed 34-year-old Edward Lee Williams.

He and two other teenagers, including Edward’s 15-year-old son, conspired to steal money from Edward and kill him.

But in a recent interview McWhorter said he never intended to go through with the killing, The Mirror reports.

The situation escalated when Edward unexpectedly returned home while his house was being ransacked.

The group were in the house grabbing items when Edward came in and began fighting with his son because of the gun he had.

McWhorter then entered from another room, and Edward noticed him and began swinging at him. McWhorter said he did the only thing he could think to do – which was to start shooting with the other gun he had.

He shot Edward in the abdomen but says he meant to aim for his legs.

Edward was shot about 11 times with a 22-caliber weapon, according to Alabama governor Kay Ivey.

In his final words before he was executed for the crime three decades later, McWhorter said he loved his mother and family, and said sorry to the victim’s family.

He said: ‘I would like to say I love my mother and family. I would like to say to the victim’s family I’m sorry. I hope you found peace.’

He also addressed accusations of domestic abuse facing the prison warden executing him, calling him a ‘habitual abuser of women’.

McWhorter added that he had been a ‘very confused kid’ when he carried out the robbery and shot Edward.

He said: ‘I had some issues going on in my head that I didn’t know how to fix, and the only way I knew to feel acceptance was doing some of the stupid stuff I was doing with the people I was doing it with. I felt like they were family at that point.’

This is when he urged other young people to think before acting, adding that his actions ruined his life and he doesn’t want other people to go through what he has.

He continued: ‘Anything that comes across them that just doesn’t sit well at first, take a few seconds to think that through.

‘Because one bad choice, one stupid mistake, one dumb decision can alter your life — and those that you care about — forever.’

McWhorter’s lawyers did request a stay on his execution on Thursday, citing two reasons – his age at the time of the crime and issues with chemicals used in Alabama’s lethal injections.

The state has recently had to impose a moratorium on executions lasting several years due to issues with the chemicals.

McWhorter was 18 on February 18, 1993 when the crime took place, and under Alabama’s law he would still be considered a minor.

But the US Supreme Court declined to halt his execution on this basis.

Prosecutors recommended for the execution to still go ahead because even though he was 18, they said he ‘methodically gathered items from the home, including retrieving Edward’s wallet from his dead body before driving away in Williams’ pickup truck.’

McWhorter was pronounced dead at 6.56pm yesterday at the Holman Correctional Facility prison in Atmore, southwest Alabama.

A prison spokesperson confirmed that McWhorter had a final meal of Turtles candy and he had visits from his mum, stepdad and spiritual adviser before his death.

He also spoke to his friends and attorney on the phone before he died.

His execution was the second in the state of Alabama this year.

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