274:. Jeffers later introduced Irick to Kathy, his wife whom he had married the previous year, and ultimately in 1984 Irick moved in with the couple and five of the eight children between them. (Seven of the children, including Paula Dyer, were the offspring of previous relationships, while the Jeffers' first child together was born in 1983.) Irick frequently babysat the children while the Jeffers parents worked long hours. At the start of April 1985, the family home in Clinton burned down, an ordeal during which Irick saved two of the boys from the burning building. Nobody was severely injured or killed during the fire; however, the family had to live in separate abodes as a result of difficulty in finding a house big enough for all eight of them. Thus, Irick moved to the Western Heights neighborhood with Kenny Jeffers, where they lived with Kenny's parents, while Kathy and the children moved to a small rental home on Exeter Avenue in Knoxville.
231:. He allegedly suffered extensive abuse from his family from a young age, including one incident where a neighbor witnessed Irick's father clubbing him with a piece of lumber. His mental health was reportedly first questioned in March 1965, when he was 6. A psychological evaluation was subsequently performed at the request of his school's principal, owing to his "extreme behavioral problems."
392:
own blood. After finding a pulse, Kenny wrapped Paula in a blanket and took her to the nearest children's hospital, where a doctor attempted unsuccessfully for 45 minutes to revive her. The same doctor, Jim
Kimball, pronounced Paula dead of asphyxiation in the early hours of April 16, 1985. She was 7 years old.
387:
On the morning of Monday, April 15, 1985, following an argument, Kathy
Jeffers kicked Irick out of the Exeter Avenue home. That night, because the family's regular babysitter was unavailable, Kenny Jeffers dropped Irick off at the same house to babysit the children. When Kathy left for work at 10 pm,
378:
Paula's kind personality quickly made a positive impression on the neighbors of their new home. Her mother recalled one instance of Paula befriending a next-door neighbor shortly after their arrival at the address, after presenting the neighbor with flowers she had picked from the flower beds at the
391:
At around midnight, Kenny
Jeffers received a call from Irick, telling him to come because Irick was unable "to wake up". Upon arriving at the Exeter Avenue address, Kenny found Irick standing in the doorway looking vacant, before finding Paula unconscious on the living room floor in a pool of her
234:
Nina
Braswell Lunn, a clinical social worker, performed the subsequent evaluation of Irick when he was in the first grade. Lunn noted that he had shared stories with her about being tied up and beaten at home because his parents could not control him. Lunn later testified that Irick may have been
496:
due to a "technical oversight" in the lethal injection procedure. Lee suspended executions in
Tennessee for the remainder of the year and ordered an independent review of the lethal injection procedure. During the investigation, it was learned that Tennessee had not followed its own policies for
395:
Following Paula's autopsy, her cause of death was confirmed to be asphyxiation. In addition, the severe tears in her vagina and rectum were confirmed to be consistent with rape, as well as a head injury sustained during her ordeal being attributed to blunt force trauma that may have knocked her
416:
Police testified that Irick readily confessed to murdering Paula Dyer, both verbally and in writing, and described his behavior as cooperative and remorseful. On April 17, 1985, Irick was arraigned in Dyer's murder, and was appointed two attorneys by a judge after he claimed that he planned to
507:
which looked over thousands of pages of court records showed that
Tennessee and its contractors had regularly deviated from the lethal injection protocol. As such, it was likely that the executions of Irick and Johnson were carried out using expired, compromised, or untested drugs.
371:(March 5, 1978 – April 16, 1985) was described by her mother as a positive young girl who saw the best in others and was extremely trusting of people. Her mother claimed that, when told she could not randomly try to hold hands with strangers, Paula replied with: "
500:
In both Irick and
Johnson's executions, it was reported that the execution team prepared two of the three lethal injection drugs too early. A pharmacist testified that doing this could affect a drug's "sterility and potency." A review conducted by
33:
427:. The defense had launched a failed mental illness claim in an attempt to spare Irick from the death penalty. Irick's mother refused to testify for the defense. On December 3, 1986, that same jury sentenced Irick to death by
497:
carrying out lethal injections since it resumed executions in 2018. Irick, and fellow death row inmate Donnie
Johnson, were the only inmates who were executed via lethal injection since the resumption of executions in 2018.
215:. Irick, then aged 26, had been living with Dyer's family for over a year, and was babysitting five of the family's children (including Paula) on the night of the girl's murder. Irick was the first inmate
388:
the children were asleep, and she felt uncomfortable leaving the children in Irick's care, on account of the argument earlier that day, Irick's behavior, and her suspicions that he had been drinking.
1025:
991:
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451:(TDoC). Thus, on January 18, 2018, the TNSC scheduled Irick's execution for August 9, 2018 — his sixth execution date since arrival on death row. In July 2018, a bench trial was held in
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527:
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told the public on the morning of April 16 to be on the lookout for a man matching Irick's physical description. By 5 pm, Irick had been found and arrested beneath a bridge on
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regarding a lawsuit against the TDoC and its execution protocol, filed by over half of the population of
Tennessee's death row. On July 26, the chair of the bench,
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Ellen Hobbs Lyle, ruled in favor of the TDoC. On August 6, the TNSC refused to grant a stay of Irick's execution to allow an appeal of the ruling. That same day,
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431:, with a tentative execution date of May 4, 1987 (which was stayed). Upon delivery of this verdict, Irick merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
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that day. He was pronounced dead at 7:48 p.m. Irick's execution was the first in
Tennessee since Cecil Johnson was executed on December 2, 2009.
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refused to grant a stay of execution to Irick on the grounds of his mental health. Subsequently, Irick was executed via lethal injection at the
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children. During an arranged visit to his parents' home in 1972, Irick (then aged 13) reportedly hit the household's
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420:
On October 26, 1986, Irick went on trial for killing Dyer. Six days later, on November 1, he was found guilty by a
401:
816:
784:
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of some description, destroyed flower beds, and cut up the pajamas his sister was wearing with a razor blade.
1026:"Tennessee executed two inmates by lethal injection since 2018. It didn't follow its own rules in either one"
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853:
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992:""I Just Want To Say I'm Really Sorry": Tennessee Executes Child Killer Billy Ray Irick - CrimeFeed"
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939:"U.S. Supreme Court will not stop Irick's execution; Sotomayor says we have 'accepted barbarism'"
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208:
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444:
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866:
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612:"Detective in death row inmate's case: 'How could you do that to a 7-year-old child?'"
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340:
236:
914:"Supreme Court denies stay of execution for Billy Ray Irick, set to die Thursday"
668:"Who Was Billy Ray Irick? Tennessee Executes Pedophile 32 Years After Conviction"
965:"Tennessee executes Billy Ray Irick, first lethal injection in state since 2009"
642:"7-Year-Old Paula Dyer's Murderer Billy Ray Irick Finally Executed In Tennessee"
466:
405:
695:"Countdown to execution: Why it took over 30 years to execute Billy Ray Irick"
459:
263:
104:
757:"'He knew what he was doing:' Looking back on Paula Dyer's last day on Earth"
549:"Billy Ray Irick execution is first lethal injection in Tennessee since 2009"
309:
204:
242:
Irick was briefly institutionalized before being sent to an orphanage for
408:
campaign by the community she had been part of for less than two weeks.
32:
547:
Boucher, Dave; Satterfield, Jamie; Allison, Natalie (August 11, 2018).
200:
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Finally, on August 9, 2018, the day of his scheduled execution, the
424:
117:
251:
199:, August 26, 1958 – August 9, 2018) was an American convicted
817:"Stay of execution sought for Irick, scheduled to die May 4"
734:"Remembering Why: Rape and murder of 7-year-old Paula Dyer"
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578:
576:
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in Knoxville, Irick met and befriended Kenny Jeffers, an
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for the 1985 rape and murder of 7-year-old Paula Dyer in
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881:"Upcoming Executions | Death Penalty Information Center"
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183:
528:
List of people executed in the United States in 2018
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1173:People executed by Tennessee by lethal injection
785:"Man found guilty in rape, murder of 7-year-old"
404:. Paula Dyer was buried on April 19 following a
396:unconscious. As a result of Paula's murder, the
998:. Discovery Communications, LLC. Archived from
373:Why, mommy? Jesus loves everybody. Why can't I?
610:Leslie Ackerson; John North (August 3, 2018).
8:
1024:Keefe, Josh; Brown, Melissa (May 26, 2022).
262:In 1983, while working as a dishwasher at a
1092:Executions carried out in the United States
1143:21st-century executions of American people
1048:
281:
31:
20:
635:
633:
417:confess and thus did not want a lawyer.
1168:People convicted of murder by Tennessee
585:"Is Billy Ray Irick Fit for Execution?"
539:
492:was called off last minute by Governor
478:Riverbend Maximum Security Institution
469:refused to intervene in Irick's case.
227:Irick was born on August 26, 1958, in
77:Riverbend Maximum Security Institution
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908:
906:
7:
1138:21st-century executions by Tennessee
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523:List of people executed in Tennessee
258:Relationship with the Jeffers family
1178:American people executed for murder
1153:American people convicted of murder
1060:Executions carried out in Tennessee
783:Whatley, Clara (November 2, 1986).
666:Susmitha Suresh (August 10, 2018).
412:Legal proceedings and incarceration
449:Tennessee Department of Correction
350:Glenwood Baptist Church Cemetery,
14:
1158:American people convicted of rape
1133:1985 murders in the United States
990:Mike McPadden (August 10, 2018).
1183:People from Knoxville, Tennessee
583:Steven Hale (February 1, 2018).
167:
518:Capital punishment in Tennessee
209:sentenced to death and executed
1163:Executed people from Tennessee
1148:American murderers of children
857:. November 5, 1986. p. 12
755:Lakin, Matt (August 8, 2018).
732:Matheny, Jim (July 22, 2018).
693:Lakin, Matt (August 8, 2018).
1:
849:"Man receives death sentence"
640:Jim Matheny (July 30, 2018).
93:Execution by lethal injection
16:American murderer (1958–2018)
825:. April 17, 1987. p. 11
672:International Business Times
484:Lethal injection controversy
1086:– July 18, 2018
1054:Cecil C. Johnson Jr. – 2009
822:The Knoxville News-Sentinel
790:The Knoxville News-Sentinel
474:United States Supreme Court
398:Knoxville police department
1204:
488:In 2022, the execution of
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1096:
1089:
1075:
1064:
1057:
1051:
447:protocols adopted by the
379:very front of the house.
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98:
30:
618:. Knoxville, TN: WBIR-TV
1188:American male criminals
762:Knoxville News Sentinel
700:Knoxville News Sentinel
441:Tennessee Supreme Court
439:On March 28, 2017, the
362:Kenny and Kathy Jeffers
382:
1002:on September 24, 2018
744:on November 18, 2022.
244:emotionally disturbed
217:executed in Tennessee
885:deathpenaltyinfo.org
854:Kingsport Times-News
490:Oscar Franklin Smith
329:Knoxville, Tennessee
270:who lived in nearby
237:organic brain damage
235:suffering from mild
229:Knoxville, Tennessee
219:in almost a decade.
81:Nashville, Tennessee
58:Knoxville, Tennessee
891:on January 21, 2018
337:Cause of death
111:First degree murder
89:Cause of death
464:Tennessee Governor
443:(TNSC) upheld the
223:Irick's background
131:(December 3, 1986)
120:(November 1, 1986)
114:(November 1, 1986)
1111:
1110:
1106:– August 14, 2018
1097:Succeeded by
1065:Succeeded by
366:
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352:Powell, Tennessee
163:William Ray Irick
160:
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144:Paula Kay Dyer, 7
44:William Ray Irick
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1100:Carey Dean Moore
1076:Preceded by
1052:Preceded by
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971:. August 9, 2018
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457:Davidson County
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118:aggravated rape
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54:August 26, 1958
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25:Billy Ray Irick
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1031:The Tennessean
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943:The Tennessean
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918:The Tennessean
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867:Newspapers.com
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835:Newspapers.com
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383:Dyer's murder
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347:Resting place
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325:(aged 7)
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268:auto mechanic
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1035:. Retrieved
1029:
1004:. Retrieved
1000:the original
995:
985:
973:. Retrieved
968:
959:
946:. Retrieved
942:
933:
921:. Retrieved
917:
893:. Retrieved
889:the original
884:
875:
865:– via
861:November 18,
859:. Retrieved
852:
843:
833:– via
829:November 18,
827:. Retrieved
820:
811:
801:– via
797:November 18,
795:. Retrieved
793:. p. 15
788:
778:
768:November 18,
766:. Retrieved
760:
750:
742:the original
737:
706:November 18,
704:. Retrieved
698:
688:
676:. Retrieved
671:
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649:. Retrieved
645:
620:. Retrieved
615:
605:
593:. Retrieved
588:
565:– via
561:November 18,
559:. Retrieved
557:. p. B2
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341:Asphyxiation
323:(1985-04-16)
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71:(2018-08-09)
18:
1128:2018 deaths
1123:1958 births
467:Bill Haslam
422:Knox County
406:fundraising
1117:Categories
534:References
460:Chancellor
302:1978-03-05
286:Paula Dyer
278:Paula Dyer
264:truck stop
50:1958-08-26
996:CrimeFeed
975:August 9,
948:August 9,
923:August 6,
895:August 1,
453:Nashville
435:Execution
359:Parent(s)
310:Tennessee
213:Knoxville
205:Tennessee
1104:Nebraska
616:wbir.com
512:See also
494:Bill Lee
250:with an
207:who was
201:murderer
1037:May 27,
646:WFMY-TV
272:Clinton
141:Victims
136:Details
1070:– 2018
354:, U.S.
331:, U.S.
312:, U.S.
248:TV set
83:, U.S.
60:, U.S.
402:I-275
203:from
129:Death
1084:Ohio
1039:2022
1008:2018
977:2018
950:2018
925:2018
897:2018
863:2022
831:2022
799:2022
770:2022
738:WBIR
708:2022
680:2018
653:2018
624:2018
597:2018
563:2022
425:jury
318:Died
292:Born
196:-rik
149:Date
66:Died
40:Born
252:axe
194:EYE
1119::
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