An Arizona prisoner who killed a man by throwing gasoline at him and setting him on fire has been executed by lethal injection. Leroy Dean McGill, 63, was pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. PT on Wednesday at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence.
McGill was sentenced to death for the murder of Charles Perez in 2002. On July 13, 2002, McGill threw gasoline and a lit match at Perez and his girlfriend, Nova Banta, as they sat on a sofa in a north Phoenix apartment. The attack followed an accusation that McGill had stolen a gun from them. Banta survived but suffered third-degree burns over three-quarters of her body; Perez died in hospital.
McGill's last meal consisted of onion rings, bread and butter, chocolate cake, and a green salad. His final words were: 'I just want to thank everyone for being so accommodating and nice.' Media witness Josh Kelety reported hearing McGill say, 'I'm going home soon.'
Jurors convicted McGill of murder, attempted murder, arson, and endangerment in 2004 after less than an hour of deliberation. His legal team had sought leniency citing childhood abuse and mental impairment, but the death sentence was upheld. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said her thoughts were with the victims' families.
This execution is the first of three planned across the US this week, with Tennessee and Florida scheduled to carry out further executions on Thursday. Arizona resumed executions after an eight-year hiatus following difficulties obtaining drugs and a botched 2014 execution.
