Texas executes man who killed elderly woman, recites lengthy Psalm in last statement

A Texas man convicted of killing an elderly woman decades ago was put to death Tuesday, an execution that took place hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned an order that delayed the sentence. 

Jedidiah Murphy, 48, was pronounced dead at 10:15 p.m., after a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the October 2000 fatal shooting of 80-year-old Bertie Lee Cunningham of the Dallas suburb of Garland. She was killed during a carjacking.

Hours before his execution, Murphy was given the standard meal afforded to all inmates at the correctional facility, as Texas did away with the customary last meal for death row inmates years ago. Inmates are allowed to choose from items on the menu at the unit that particular day. 

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On Tuesday, the menu included baked chicken, pinto beans, cheesy rice vegetable blend, corn, peaches, sliced bread, a cheeseburger, green beans, oven-fried potatoes, pickles and mustard, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told Fox News Digital. 

As part of his last statement, Murphy recited Psalm 34, the TDCJ said.  

“To the family of the victim, I sincerely apologize for all of it,” Murphy said while strapped to a gurney in the Texas death chamber and after a Christian pastor, his right hand on Murphy’s chest, prayed for the victim’s family, Murphy’s family and friends and the inmate.

“I hope this helps, if possible, give you closure,” Murphy said.

“Yes Warden, To the family of the victim I want to say I sincerely apologize for all I did. I hope this brings you closure, thank you,” he said before a lengthy recitation of the biblical verse. 

The execution took place hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned an order that had delayed the death sentence from being carried out. 

The high court late Tuesday also turned down another request to stay Murphy’s execution over claims the drugs he was injected with were exposed to extreme heat and smoke during a recent fire, making them unsafe and leaving him at risk of pain and suffering.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.