Meats and Sweets for Eric Branch

Convicted killer Eric Branch was executed by the state of Florida tonight. Branch earned his death sentence for the 1993 rape and murder of a college student whose car he wanted to steal.

For his last meal, Branch doubled up on meats and sweets by ordering a pork chop, a T-bone steak, French fries, two pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, and ginger ale.

 

Battaglia: Beastly or Just Plain Batty?

John Battaglia was executed by the state of Texas tonight for killing his two young daughters in 2001.

Battaglia, who was divorced from his wife and had been granted weekly visits with his girls, was watching his 6-and-9-year-old daughters while his estranged wife was in her own home. Battaglia, who had argued and fought repeatedly with his ex-wife, called the woman on speaker phone then shot and killed the two girls while their mother listened. Battaglia then announced, “Merry fucking Christmas,” despite the fact that the date was May 2. Afterward, Battaglia drove to a tattoo parlor and got two rose tattoos on his left arm, one for each of his daughters.

Battaglia was found guilty and sentenced to death, but his lawyers claim the man committed his crime because he’s mentally impaired. According to court records, Battaglia suffers from delusions that cause him to think he is “being conspired against, cheated, spied on, followed, poisoned or drugged, maliciously maligned, harassed, or obstructed in the pursuit of long-term goals.”

Or maybe he’s just a cold-blooded psycho.

Because Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, Battaglia was served the same food as others in his unit. For his last meal, Battaglia had a chicken patty, mashed potatoes with country gravy, green beans, corn, cornbread, and a choice of tea, punch, or water to drink. 

Pasta La Vista to William Rayford

William Rayford was executed by the state of Texas tonight for murdering his ex-girlfriend in 1999. At the time of the killing, Rayford was on parole after killing his wife in 1986. The bottom line? Don’t date William Rayford.

Since Texas no longer allows special meal requests, Rayford was served the same food as others in his unit. For his last meal, William Rayford had spaghetti with beef sauce, green beans, black beans, corn, and garlic bread, with a choice of water, tea, or punch to drink.

Considering his last meal, maybe it’s not appropriate to say that William Rayford died tonight; instead, he just pasta way.

Nobody's Choked Up Over Tourniquet Killer's Death

Anthony Shore, the serial killer known as the “Tourniquet Killer” because of the way he strangled his victims, was executed by the state of Texas tonight. Shore confessed to murdering five females between the ages of 9 and 21, all of whom were sexually assaulted and tortured before they were killed.

Shore has been on death row since 2004 and has sought to avoid the death penalty in various ways, including one defense that claimed Shore injured his head during a 1981 car crash and his personality was affected as a result—but even the killer’s family didn’t buy that one. “I think it’s a load of crap,” Shore’s youngest daughter stated, and Shore’s sister seemed to be looking forward to her brother’s execution because “then when people ask about him, we can just say he’s dead.”

Because Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, Shore was given the same food as others in his prison unit. For his last meal, Anthony Shore had a chicken patty, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, carrots, and cornbread, with a  choice of water, tea, or punch to drink.

Final Fiesta for Mexican Murderer

Despite a flurry of last-minute opposition, the state of Texas executed convicted killer Ruben Cardenas tonight for the rape and murder of his 15-year-old cousin in 1997. Cardenas was a Mexican citizen who had been on death row in the USA for 20 years. His lawyers and the Mexican government claimed that Cardenas’ case was fraught with legal improprieties, and that his execution was an illegal act.

Texas no longer allows special last meal requests, meaning executed inmates are given the same food as other prisoners in their unit prior to execution. Ironically, however, the last meal for Cardenas was a South of the Border feast that included beef soft tacos, Spanish rice, refried beans, Mexican corn, salsa, flour tortillas, and spiced beef rolls, with a choice of water, tea, or punch to drink.

Killer Has Short Ribs After Long Time on Death Row

Convicted double murderer Patrick Hannon was executed by the state of Florida tonight for his part in the brutal slayings of two men in 1991. Together with two other men, Hannon shot one man to death and slit the throat of another during a convoluted argument that centered around the supposed vandalization of an ex-girlfriend’s bedroom.

For his last meal, Hannon had beef short ribs, friend potatoes, bacon, a roll, vanilla ice cream, and sweet tea.