Wesley Ira Purkey, a convicted murderer on federal death row, was executed in 2020 by lethal injection following a string of horrifying crimes. But his death, intended to mark the end of his story, has since sparked ongoing ethical debate about capital punishment in the United States—particularly regarding the use of pentobarbital, a drug many experts say causes a painfully slow death.
What makes Purkey’s case especially haunting is not just the brutality of his crimes, but the tragic detail surrounding his final moments, including a small but symbolic mistake with his last meal.
At 68, Purkey had spent decades behind bars after committing two unthinkable murders in 1998. The first was the abduction and killing of 16-year-old Jennifer Long, a Kansas schoolgirl who vanished after skipping class.
Purkey picked her up near a local supermarket, drove her to his home, and subjected her to horrific abuse before killing her. He then attempted to cover up his crime by dismembering her body with a chainsaw, burning the remains, and disposing of her bones in a septic pond.
That same year, while working as a plumber, he bludgeoned 80-year-old Mary Bales to death with a claw hammer. He later returned to the scene, trying to set her house on fire, but neighbors alerted authorities. Arrested shortly after, Purkey pleaded guilty to the second murder.
While serving a life sentence in state prison, Purkey came forward with a confession about Jennifer Long’s case, hoping that federal authorities would transfer him to a different facility. The move happened, but not the way he expected. There was no deal made to spare his life. Instead, he faced federal prosecution and ultimately received the death penalty.
On the day of his execution, Purkey was given a dose of pentobarbital, the standard drug for federal lethal injections. What followed, according to medical examiners, was anything but peaceful. His autopsy revealed severe pulmonary edema—his lungs had rapidly filled with fluid, creating a sensation akin to drowning. Experts believe he likely experienced intense pain, with each breath a desperate struggle.
According to Dr. Gail Van Norman, it is “a virtual medical certainty” that prisoners executed with pentobarbital endure sensations of suffocation and terror in their final minutes.
In his last words, Purkey expressed remorse. He apologized to the family of Jennifer Long and to his own daughter, saying he deeply regretted the pain he had caused. His final statement was laced with a quiet protest, describing his execution as “sanitized murder” that served “no purpose whatsoever.”
Adding yet another layer of tragedy to the day was a simple request Purkey made during his final meal. He asked for pecan pie—but told prison officials he would have it “later,” unaware that there would be no later. The pie was never served. That small oversight became a haunting metaphor for the cold, mechanical nature of executions, where even a condemned man’s last wish was lost in procedure.
Before his death, there had also been concerns raised about Purkey’s mental state.
He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was known to suffer from delusions. The night before his execution, he reportedly watched television and made a comment about voting for Bill Clinton in the upcoming election, unaware that Clinton hadn’t been a candidate in decades. His attorneys argued that executing someone who could not fully comprehend his fate was both inhumane and unconstitutional.
Wesley Ira Purkey’s crimes were monstrous, and no one has questioned the pain he inflicted on his victims and their families.
But his final moments—and the disturbing reports surrounding his execution—have reignited serious concerns about how the justice system administers the ultimate punishment. As the debate continues, Purkey’s case stands as a grim reminder that behind every death sentence is a system that still struggles with how to deliver justice without losing its humanity.
