Beunka Adams, #999486; April 26, 2012

First, I want to let my mom know not to cry, there is no reason to cry, everybody dies. Everybody has their time, don't worry about me. I'm strong. To my family: my old man, my kids, daddy is sorry. I love each and every one of you. I'll be looking for you. To my wife, I love you. The last two years have been the best. All my kids, mom, nieces, and nephews, I am proud of all of ya'll. I love each and every one of ya'll. I really love ya'll.

To the victims, I'm very sorry for everything that happened. I am not the malicious person that you think I am. I was real stupid back then. I made a great many mistakes. What happened was wrong. I was a kid in a grown man's world. I messed up, and I can't take it back. I wasn't old enough to understand. Please don't carry around that hurt in your heart. You have got to find a way to get rid of the hate. Trust me, killing me is not going to give you closure. I hope you find closure. Don't let that hate eat you up, find a way to get past it.

Linda, I love you, I appreciate you. I hate the way things turned out. Ms. Sheri, thank you. To the victims again, I hate the way all of this happened to ya'll. I don't think any good will come of this. I am going to see ya'll again. I love ya'll, be strong for me. Keep your heads up. I came into the world strong. I'll leave the world strong. Warden, go ahead. I am sorry for the victim's family. Murder isn't right, killing of any kind isn't right. Got to find another way.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Kenneth Allen McDuff #999055; November 17, 1998

I’m ready to be released. Release me.




Offender Information


For additional information about McDuff, who is believed to be the only person sentenced to death prior to the SCOTUS decision striking down the death penalty and then convicted and sentenced to death for a separate crime following its reinstatement, please see this Associated Press article, this AP death row interview, and McDuff's Wikipedia entry

Jonathan Nobles #885; October 7, 1998

1 Corinthians 12:31B – 13:13 (NIV)

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see:

The Associated Press account of his crime and execution, including additional, unrecorded, elements of his last statement

This article by and this audio-interview with singer-songwriter Steve Earle about witnessing the execution

This Houston Chronicle article about Nobles' failed attempts to donate his organs 

Javier Cruz #999061; October 1, 1998

[Written Statement] Thank you for setting me free. God bless you all. I love you, Miguel. Take care of my angel, Leslie. Love, Javier Cruz




Offender Information


For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

David Castillo #770; August 23, 1998

Keep it brief here. Just want to say, uh, family, take care of yourselves. Uh, look at this as a learning experience. Everything happens for a reason. We all know what really happened, but there are some things you just can’t fight. Little people always seem to get squashed. It happens. Even so, just got to take the good with the bad. There is no man that is free from all evil, nor any man that is so evil to be worth nothing. But it’s all part of life, and my family, take care of yourselves. Tell my wife I love her. I’ll keep an eye on everybody, especially my nieces and nephews. I’m pretty good. I love ya’ll. Take care. I’m ready.




Offender information


For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Delbert Teague, Jr.; September 9, 1998

I have come here today to die, not make speeches. Today is a good day for dying.

Est Sularus Oth Mithas (My Honor Is My Life).

Offender Information

For additional information about Teague's life of crime, and the brutality that put him in the execution chamber, please see this Associated Press article

Genaro Camacho, Jr. #972; August 26, 1998

I love you all. We had a good service and I’ll be with you. I’ll be waiting for you in Heaven. Ok. Adios. That’s all I have to say.



Offender Information

For additional information about his brutal crimes and execution, please see this Associated Press article

Leopoldo Narvaiz #923; June 26, 1998

Narvaiz declined to make a final statement


Offender information

For additional information about the brutal crime and Narvaiz's execution, please see this Associated Press article. Please also see this Guardian profile of Brian Price, last-meal chef and cookbook author, who refused to cook for Narvaiz

Johnny Dean Pyles #724; June 15, 1998

I want to tell you folks there, of a… I have a love in my heart for you. I hope you don’t look for satisfaction or comfort or peace in my execution. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and I want him to be yours. I’m sorry for the pain and heartache I’ve caused your family. Too many years I’ve caused all my family problems and heartache. I’m sorry. I wanted to let you know that the Lord Jesus is my life and I just want to go. I’m gonna fall asleep and I’ll be in his presence shortly. I got reason to rejoice and I pray to see all of you there someday.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Clifford Boggess #887; June 11, 1998

I’d like to say that for the murders of Ray Hazelwood and Frank Collier, I’m sorry for that pain it has caused you. To my friends, I’d like to say that I love you and I’m glad you’ve been a part of my life. Thank you. I’ll miss you. Remember that today I’ll be with Jesus in paradise. I’ll see you again.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of Almighty God, [have] mercy on me as a sinner, forgive me of my sins. I would like to offer up my death for the conversion of sinners on Death Row. Lord Jesus, into your hands I command my spirit.

Offender Information

For a wealth of information about Boggess, his life, crimes, and execution, please see this PBS Frontline story

Pedro Muniz #575; May 19, 1998

I know you can’t hear me now but I know that it won’t matter what I have to say.

I want you to know that I did not kill your sister. If you want to know the truth, and you deserve to know the truth, hire your own investigators.

That’s all I have to say.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Robert Carter #708; May 18, 1998

I love all of you all. Thank you for caring so much about me. Keep the faith. I am going to a better place. I hope the victim’s family will forgive me because I didn’t mean to hurt no one or kill no one.

I love you all.

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Frank Basil McFarland #963; April 19, 1998

I owe no apologies for a crime I did not commit. Those who lied and fabricated evidence against me will have to answer for what they have done. I know in my heart what I did and I call upon the spirit of my ancestors and the land, the sea, the skies and all of my people and I swear to them and now I am coming home.

Loch sloy

Offender Information

For additional information, please see this Associated Press article

Lesley Gosch #842; April 28, 1998

Gosch declined to make a final statement

Offender Information

For additional information about his crime and execution, please see this Associated Press article

Joseph John Cannon #634; April 22, 1998

I am sorry for what I did to your mom. It isn’t because I’m going to die. All my life I have been locked up. I could never forgive what I done. I am sorry for all of you. I love you all. Thank you for supporting me. I thank you for being kind to me when I was small. Thank you, God.

All right

Offender Information

For additional information on Cannon, executed for a crime he committed when he was 17, please see this Associated Press article

Jerry Lee Hogue #660; March 11, 1998

Mindy, I’m with you, honey. I do not know why, Mindy, you are doing this, but I will still forgive you. You know he is a murderer. Why don’t you support me? He will do it again. Mindy, you are lucky you are still alive.

Give my love to my family. I love them. Mindy, you can stop this.

O.K., I’m ready.

Offender information

For additional information about Hogue and the doubts surrounding his execution, please see this CBS article

Steven Ceon Renfro #999229; February 9, 1998

I would like to tell the victims’ families that I am sorry, very sorry.

I am so sorry. Forgive me if you can.

I know it’s impossible, but try.

Take my hand, Lord Jesus, I’m coming home.

Offender Information

For additional information about Renfro's crime and execution, please see this Associated Press article.

In this piece, the LA Times contrasts this execution with the circus and spectacle that surrounded Karla Faye Tucker's execution six days earlier

Karla Faye Tucker #777; February 3, 1998

Yes sir, I would like to say to all of you – the Thornton family and Jerry Dean’s family that I am so sorry. I hope God will give you peace with this.

Baby, I love you. Ron, give Peggy a hug for me. Everybody has been so good to me.

I love all of you very much. I am going to be face to face with Jesus now. Warden Baggett, thank all of you so much. You have been so good to me. I love all of you very much. I will see you all when you get there. I will wait for you.

Offender Information

For additional information about Karla Faye Tucker's execution, the first woman executed in Texas since 1863, please see the following articles:

Michael Graczyk's coverage of the execution (AP)

On the media sensation (Houston Chronicle)

George W. Bush's moral wrangling in deciding to deny a brief reprieve (Houston Chronicle)

Karla Faye Tucker's Wikipedia entry

Michael Lee Lockhart #917; December 9, 1997

I am deeply sorry. It is my hope my death will give you some kind of comfort. A lot of people view what is happening here as evil, but I want you to know that I found love and compassion here. The people who work here, I thank them for the kindness they have shown me and I deeply appreciate all that has been done for me by the people who work here. That’s all, Warden, I’m ready.

Offender Information

For additional information about Lockhart's long, bloody crime spree (he received death sentences in three states), please see this Associated Press article

Charlie Livingston #802; November 21, 1997

You all brought me here to be executed, not to make a speech. That’s it.

Offender Information

For more information, please see this Associated Press article