Freddie Owens, the Greenville County killer, was executed in South Carolina, marking the state’s first execution in 13 years. Owens, 46, was put to death by lethal injection on September 20, nearly 30 years after he murdered convenience store clerk Irene Graves.
His last meal included two cheeseburgers, french fries, ribeye steak, six chicken wings, two strawberry sodas, and a slice of apple pie. According to media witness Justin Dougherty, the execution commenced at 6:35 p.m., following a delay waiting for a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately denied Owens a stay of execution. Governor Henry McMaster also declined to grant clemency.
During the execution, Owens was dressed in a green jumpsuit and was laid horizontally on a gurney with a white blanket. He did not make any final statement, but he appeared to smile softly and maintained eye contact with his defense attorney, mouthing unclear words. In his final moments, he reportedly said “bye” to her.
From 6:37 p.m. to 6:42 p.m., Owens showed minimal movement, slowly nodding and breathing shallowly. By 6:53 p.m., a doctor confirmed his death after checking for a pulse and using a stethoscope.
Owens was convicted in 1999 for the murder of Graves, whom he shot during a robbery when he was just 19 years old. Following his conviction, he killed cellmate Christopher Bryan Lee shortly before his sentencing. Family members of both victims were present during the execution.
A last-minute claim of innocence from Owens’ co-defendant, Steven Golden, did not halt the execution. Golden, who had previously testified against Owens, stated in an affidavit that Owens was not the person who shot Graves. However, his latest testimony conflicted with earlier statements, leading multiple courts to dismiss it as unreliable.
Gerald “Bo” King, a member of Owens’ legal team, expressed his belief that Owens was wrongfully convicted, calling the execution a tragedy and condemning the legal errors and deals that led to it.