JACKSON, Ga. — A Georgia man was executed on Wednesday in the state's first execution since January 2020.
William Pye, 59, was put to death using the sedative pentobarbital at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia.
Pye was convicted of killing his girlfriend, Alicia Lynn Yarbrough, in 1993. Yarbrough was found dead Nov. 17, 1993, after being shot multiple times. He was found guilty of murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, and burglary.
Family and friends gathered outside the prison in Spalding County on Wednesday, and a number of people were seen protesting to abolish the death penalty.
An official with Georgia Department of Corrections told 11Alive's Cody Alcorn that Pye had six family members visit him on Wednesday. He spoke with one clergy and his attorney, underwent a physical and recorded a statement.
People gathered outside for a vigil to remember Pye around the time of his planned execution, which was initially set to be carried out at 7 p.m.
According to the Associated Press, Pye was asked by the warden whether he wanted to say any final words, and he indicated no. When asked if he wanted a prayer said for him, he indicated that he would. A member of the clergy then said a brief prayer, asking God to help Pye experience some grace and mercy.
Pye was mostly still as the drugs began to flow. He began exhaling rapid bursts of air about a half-dozen times, causing his cheeks to expand and his lips to quiver each time. Then, he was still. Several minutes later, the warden walked into the death chamber and announced the time of death. It was 11:03 p.m, according to the AP.
Background on the case
The two dated off and on, but she was living with another man before her death, the AP reported from court filings.
Prosecutors accused Pye and two others of going to her home and planning to rob that man. However, they found Yarbrough alone with her child after forcing their way inside. They were accused of taking a few items, taking her with them, and leaving the baby behind.
They drove to a motel, where they took turns raping Yarbrough and then left the motel with her in their car. When they left, they turned onto a dirt road. There, Pye made Yarbrough get out of the car, lie face down and then shot her three times, the AP reported from court filings.
Pye was given the death penalty following a 1996 trial where a jury found him guilty of malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, armed robbery, burglary, and rape.
Pye had a clemency hearing on Tuesday that could have potentially commuted his death sentence to a life sentence. His clemency was denied despite his attorneys arguing that he should not be executed because he was intellectually disabled by having an IQ of 68 and felt remorse for killing his girlfriend.
His lawyers also cited severe problems in the Spalding County justice system in the 1990s.
Material from the Associated Press was used for this report.