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ended up with another man, and she had a child, which Pye believed to be his, and he was angered that a birth certificate for the baby was signed with
Yarbrough's lover as the child's father. On the day in question, Pye, armed with a newly bought .22 pistol, teamed up with two people, 15-year-old Anthony Freeman and 25-year-old Chester Adams, to commit robbery at the lover's house, but after finding Yarbrough alone in the house with her baby, Pye and his accomplices abducted her and would later rape her at a motel, and also stole her jewelry. Afterwards, the trio drove Yarbrough down a dirt road, where Pye ordered her out of the car, told her to lie face down and shot her three times, which resulted in her death.
369:
that the whole attention of her cousin's murder was shifted to the perpetrator instead of the victim, whom
Yarbrough's family felt should be remembered, and the family also expressed support for Pye's death sentence. Aside from this, in 2021, Starks and one of Yarbrough's daughters established the organization When She Survives, which addresses the issues of domestic violence and breast cancer awareness, in an effort to honor Yarbrough.
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about ten to 12 hours while leaving her children (including Pye) unsupervised and they had to fend for themselves at a young age. Pye reportedly did not perform well in school, and he dropped out of junior high school; he was later diagnosed to have an IQ of 68, which was below the normal intelligence of 70. Pye was also, at age 20, arrested and sentenced to five years in prison for burglary in 1985, and he was released in 1990.
304:, as a result of his mother's alcohol abuse while she was pregnant with him, which may have damaged his brain and affected his mental responsibility at the time of the killing. Three former jurors who convicted Pye stated that they did not want Pye to be executed, after citing that they would have opted for life without parole had his childhood and low intelligence been revealed during his first trial. Human rights group
31:
212:(January 6, 1965 – March 20, 2024) was an American convicted murderer who was executed in 2024 for murdering his ex-girlfriend Alicia Lynn Yarbrough after he kidnapped and raped her. Pye acted together with two other people to commit a robbery at the home of Yarbrough's boyfriend, which in turn led to the murder in 1993.
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Born on
January 6, 1965, Willie James Pye, who had at least nine siblings was reportedly a victim of childhood abuse and neglect, and his family members had also abused alcohol in the past. Pye's mother was the sole breadwinner of the family, and due to her husband's stints in prison, she had to work
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on March 20, 2024. His case became a point of controversy due to the alleged inadequate legal representation he received during the trial, which allegedly left out details of Pye's troubled childhood and other mitigating factors that may have spared his life. Pye was the first death row convict to be
368:
After Pye's execution, Yarbrough's oldest daughter
Tawanna Bell (the eldest of Yarbrough's three children) stated that she found closure through Pye's execution after 30 years since the rape and murder of her mother. Yarbrough's cousin Gernetta Starks also told the media that they were disappointed
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would accept it in a 2021 court hearing, and as a result, a three-judge panel agreed to vacate Pye's death sentence on the grounds that Pye was subjected to prejudicial treatment due to inadequate legal representation. However, a year later, the decision was reversed by the federal appellate court,
278:
A controversial fact of Pye's case was that during his trial, his attorney did not adequately fulfill his duty to represent and defend Pye, which likely caused the suppression of certain mitigating factors in his favor, such as Pye's childhood. This allegation was brought forward to the courts, and
236:
On
November 17, 1993, eight years after his first run-in with the law, Pye was involved in the rape-murder of his ex-girlfriend Alicia Lynn Yarbrough (aged 21 in 1993), with whom he had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship prior to their final break-up. After their final break-up, Yarbrough
253:
During the court proceedings into the case of
Yarbrough's murder, one of Pye's accomplices, Anthony Freeman, reached a plea bargain and voluntarily turned state evidence against Pye, who was convicted of murder, kidnapping, rape, burglary and robbery in June 1996. The jury that convicted Pye also
299:
Pye's lawyers later urged for the state to grant Pye clemency and commute his death sentence to life in prison without parole, on the grounds of Pye's low IQ and troubled childhood and the inadequate legal representation in his trial back in 1996. They also claimed that Pye suffered from
322:, but hours before he was executed, the judges unanimously dismissed Pye's appeal. As the scheduled timing of Pye's execution was supposed to be 7pm, the appeal hearing caused the execution to be delayed for a few hours before it was subsequently carried out.
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of two chicken sandwiches, two cheeseburgers, french fries, two bags of plain potato chips, and two lemon-lime sodas. He was also visited by six family members, a clergy member, and an attorney for the final time before his death sentence was carried out.
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recommended a death sentence for the charge of murdering
Yarbrough, and Pye was therefore condemned to death row. In addition to the death penalty, Pye was also given a 20-year jail term for the burglary charge and three additional terms of
270:
for his role in
Yarbrough's murder, and is still incarcerated as of 2024. Freeman was similarly sentenced to life in prison for charges of murder, robbery, and burglary. After serving 24 years behind bars, Freeman was released on
240:
Yarbrough's corpse was discovered on the same day of her murder, and the trio were arrested soon after. Pye and Adams denied their involvement in the crime, while
Freeman confessed to the murder and implicated both Adams and Pye.
357:(the drug used for his execution), Pye accepted a final prayer but he did not make a final statement. Pye was the 77th person to be executed in Georgia since 1976, and as of the time of Pye's execution, 36 men and one woman (
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The third perpetrator, Chester Adams, was tried in a separate court for the same charges as Pye, and pled guilty in April 1997. Unlike Pye, Adams was spared the death sentence and instead received five
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tests would later confirm that the semen found on the victim's corpse belonged to Pye, which allowed the authorities to charge him as a suspect for
Yarbrough's murder.
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Pye, who was convicted and sentenced to death three years after the crime, remained on death row for nearly 30 years before he was put to death via
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Willie James Pye was reportedly the first person scheduled for execution in Georgia after a four-year pause on executions due to the
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in Jackson, Georgia. Pye was 59 years old at the time of his death. Reportedly, before he was administered with a single dose of
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officially announced that they would not commute Pye's death sentence, and therefore turned down his clemency petition.
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1018:"Death penalty: Willie James Pye put to death for 1993 killing of ex-girlfriend, Georgia's first execution in years"
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Soon after the dismissal of Pye's final appeal, Pye was executed by lethal injection at 11:03 p.m. at the
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982:"Death row killer Willie James Pye's chilling single last word before execution for girlfriend's murder"
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946:"Georgia man executed by lethal injection 30 years after kidnapping and brutal murder of girlfriend"
928:"Executed prisoner Willie James Pye's huge final meal before lethal injection decades after murder"
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had been issued for Pye, scheduling him to be put to death via lethal injection on March 20, 2024.
874:"Georgia readies to resume executions after a 4-year pause brought by COVID and a legal agreement"
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in Georgia. Pye was the third person to be executed in the United States during the year of 2024.
89:
802:"Clemency rejected for man scheduled to be 1st person executed in Georgia in more than 4 years"
409:"Clemency rejected for man scheduled to be 1st person executed in Georgia in more than 4 years"
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also appealed for mercy on Pye's life, and they were also set to hold a vigil on Pye's behalf.
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93:
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504:"Georgia executes death row inmate Willie Pye for the 1993 murder of Alicia Lynn Yarbrough"
705:"Man seeks clemency to avoid what could be Georgia's first execution in more than 4 years"
687:"Man seeks clemency to avoid what could be Georgia's first execution in more than 4 years"
635:"Man put to death for 1993 killing of ex-girlfriend, Georgia's first execution in years"
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910:"Execution in Georgia: Man to be put to death for 1993 murder of former girlfriend"
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461:"Georgia Set To Execute Willie James Pye, But Lawyers Say He Is Mentally Disabled"
30:
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820:"Georgia executes Willie Pye in its first execution since before the pandemic"
334:. Before Pye's execution, the last execution took place in January 2020, when
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1090:"Georgia readies to execute man who advocates say is intellectually disabled"
427:"Georgia carries out execution for first time in four years for 1993 killing"
1072:"AFTER FOUR YEARS WITHOUT AN EXECUTION, GEORGIA PREPARES TO KILL WILLIE PYE"
362:
342:
723:"3 jurors who convicted condemned Georgia prisoner don't want him executed"
669:"Georgia sets execution date for man who killed ex-girlfriend 30 years ago"
540:"Georgia sets execution date for man who killed ex-girlfriend 30 years ago"
819:
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executed in Georgia after a four-year moratorium on executions due to the
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for the remaining three charges. His appeal in 1998 was dismissed by the
522:"Georgia execution set for today would be state's first in over 4 years"
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Pye's lawyers later filed an appeal to the US Supreme Court, seeking a
1054:"EXCLUSIVE: Family of victim killed by Georgia man executed speak out"
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although a federal judge rejected this fact in an appeal hearing, the
272:
1000:"Georgia executes Willie James Pye for 1993 murder of ex-girlfriend"
964:"Georgia executes Willie James Pye for 1993 Spalding County murder"
592:"Willie Pye becomes first person executed in Georgia in four years"
574:"Georgia death row inmate to be executed after last-ditch appeal"
856:"Georgia set to move ahead with execution of Willie James Pye"
242:
838:"Why states are moving away from lethal injection executions"
892:"Georgia man put to death for the 1997 killings of 2 people"
1233:
People executed by Georgia (U.S. state) by lethal injection
777:"Vigil Against Georgia's Execution of Willie James Pye"
656:
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
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United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
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resulting in Pye's death sentence being re-instated.
389:
List of people executed in the United States in 2024
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1228:People convicted of murder by Georgia (U.S. state)
759:"USA: Willie Pye, 58, faces execution in Georgia"
741:"USA: Georgia sets first execution in four years"
1238:21st-century executions by Georgia (U.S. state)
1036:"Georgia executes man who killed ex-girlfriend"
384:List of people executed in Georgia (U.S. state)
479:"NAME: PYE, WILLIE JAMES - GDC ID: 0000422885"
338:was put to death for a double murder in 1997.
610:"NAME: FREEMAN, ANTHONY - GDC ID: 0000847785"
292:On February 29, 2024, it was reported that a
8:
351:Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Center
74:Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison
1142:Executions carried out in the United States
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379:Capital punishment in Georgia (U.S. state)
313:Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles
29:
18:
652:Pye v. Warden Georgia Diagnostic Prison
444:Pye v. Warden Georgia Diagnostic Prison
400:
7:
1223:American people executed for murder
35:Pye in an undated prison photograph
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1243:1993 murders in the United States
1108:Executions carried out in Georgia
614:Georgia Department of Corrections
483:Georgia Department of Corrections
199:20 years' imprisonment (burglary)
1213:20th-century American criminals
288:Death warrant and clemency plea
197:(×3; robbery, rape, kidnapping)
1:
281:11th Circuit Court of Appeals
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268:consecutive life sentences
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341:Pye reportedly ordered a
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107:
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561:Supreme Court of Georgia
260:Supreme Court of Georgia
183:Five years' imprisonment
1218:American male criminals
311:On March 19, 2024, the
228:Personal life and crime
1117:Donnie Cleveland Lance
336:Donnie Cleveland Lance
302:fetal alcohol syndrome
171:Kidnapping (one count)
145:Kidnapping (one count)
1177:Michael Dewayne Smith
781:Amnesty International
763:Amnesty International
745:Amnesty International
361:) were still held on
306:Amnesty International
675:. February 29, 2024.
546:. February 29, 2024.
167:Burglary (one count)
157:Burglary (one count)
141:Burglary (one count)
131:Burglary (one count)
1165:Willie James Pye –
898:. January 30, 2020.
165:Robbery (one count)
139:Robbery (one count)
86:Cause of death
1058:Atlanta News First
163:Murder (one count)
137:Murder (one count)
1191:
1190:
1174:Succeeded by
1159:February 28, 2024
1133:Succeeded by
1127:Willie James Pye
1096:. March 20, 2024.
1078:. March 21, 2024.
1060:. March 21, 2024.
1042:. March 21, 2024.
1024:. March 21, 2024.
1006:. March 21, 2024.
988:. March 21, 2024.
970:. March 21, 2024.
952:. March 21, 2024.
934:. March 21, 2024.
916:. March 20, 2024.
880:. March 12, 2024.
862:. March 20, 2024.
844:. March 21, 2024.
826:. March 21, 2024.
808:. March 20, 2024.
765:. March 11, 2024.
729:. March 19, 2024.
711:. March 19, 2024.
693:. March 19, 2024.
641:. March 21, 2024.
598:. March 21, 2024.
580:. March 20, 2024.
528:. March 20, 2024.
510:. March 20, 2024.
467:. March 20, 2024.
433:. March 21, 2024.
415:. March 20, 2024.
332:COVID-19 pandemic
320:stay of execution
256:life imprisonment
249:Trial and appeals
222:COVID-19 pandemic
207:
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195:Life imprisonment
16:American murderer
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1151:Ivan Abner Cantu
1148:Preceded by
1121:January 29, 2020
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275:on May 4, 2020.
217:lethal injection
210:Willie James Pye
169:Rape (one count)
143:Rape (one count)
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94:lethal injection
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51:January 6, 1965
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70:(aged 59)
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784:. Retrieved
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78:Butts County
68:(2024-03-20)
1208:2024 deaths
1203:1965 births
1197:Categories
1040:VN Express
986:The Mirror
950:The Mirror
932:The Mirror
395:References
47:1965-01-06
1022:NZ Herald
914:USA Today
786:March 20,
619:March 22,
488:March 22,
363:death row
343:last meal
326:Execution
90:Execution
1181:Oklahoma
1004:UPI News
968:AJC News
860:UPI News
824:NBC News
727:ACJ News
526:CBS News
373:See also
192:(murder)
103:Executed
1167:Georgia
896:AP News
878:AP News
806:AP News
691:AP News
673:AP News
639:AP News
176:Penalty
115:Robbery
55:Georgia
465:Forbes
273:parole
112:Motive
57:, U.S.
1155:Texas
190:Death
1135:None
1094:WABE
788:2024
621:2024
490:2024
186:1996
180:1985
160:1993
154:1985
134:1996
128:1985
63:Died
41:Born
508:CNN
243:DNA
92:by
1199::
1179:–
1153:–
1092:.
1074:.
1056:.
1038:.
1020:.
1002:.
984:.
966:.
948:.
930:.
912:.
894:.
876:.
858:.
840:.
822:.
804:.
779:.
761:.
743:.
725:.
707:.
689:.
671:.
654:,
637:.
612:.
594:.
576:.
559:,
542:.
524:.
506:.
481:.
463:.
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429:.
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262:.
224:.
76:,
790:.
623:.
492:.
49:)
45:(
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