Wesley Ira Purkey, 68, suffered a painful execution in 2020—hours after making a heartbreaking “mistake” with his last meal request.
**The Crimes**
Purkey was sentenced to death for the 1998 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 16-year-old Jennifer Long. He lured the schoolgirl into his pickup truck outside a supermarket, drove her to his home, raped and stabbed her to death, then dismembered her body with a chainsaw. He burned her remains and scattered her bones in a septic pond to avoid detection.
Later that year, Purkey beat 80-year-old Mary Bales to death with a claw hammer, then returned to start a fire to cover his tracks. Neighbors grew suspicious and called police, leading to his arrest.
Purkey pleaded guilty to Bales’ murder and was sentenced to life in state prison. He then voluntarily disclosed information about Long’s murder, hoping to serve his sentence in federal prison instead. However, he failed to secure any prosecutorial agreement regarding sentencing—ultimately receiving the death penalty.
**A Painful Death**
Purkey was executed via lethal injection of pentobarbital in 2020. His autopsy revealed severe pulmonary edema—fluid rapidly entering his lungs and trachea. Dr. Gail Van Norman told News.com.au that it’s “a virtual medical certainty” most prisoners experience “excruciating suffering, including sensations of drowning and suffocation” from pentobarbital.
**Final Moments**
Before his execution, concerns arose that Purkey suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. The night before, he saw Bill Clinton on TV and said he’d vote for Clinton in the “upcoming presidential election,” apparently unaware of reality.
His final mistake? When offered his last meal of pecan pie, Purkey asked to have it “later”—tragically unaware there wouldn’t be a later.
In his final words, Purkey expressed regret: “I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused to Jennifer’s family. I am deeply sorry… This sanitized murder really does not serve no purpose whatsoever.”
