Texas Man Executed: Justice Served 13 Years After Horrific Store Clerk Fire Incident

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A Texas man was executed on Tuesday, marking 13 years since he committed a brutal robbery that ended in tragedy for an elderly clerk.

Matthew Lee Johnson, 49, received a lethal injection at the state prison in Huntsville. He was convicted for an incident on May 20, 2012, when he attacked Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old great-grandmother, in a Garland convenience store. Johnson splashed lighter fluid on her and set her ablaze. Harris suffered severe burns and died days later.

When asked for a final statement, Johnson turned towards Harris’ family, who were watching nearby. “As I look at each one of you, I can see her on that day,” he said. He expressed sorrow for his actions and pleaded for forgiveness. He mentioned his regrets, stating, “I made wrong choices… and now I pay the consequences.”

Harris’s family, which included three sons, two daughters-in-law, and a granddaughter, was present but remained silent after the execution. As the lethal sedative took effect, Johnson gasped before becoming still. He was pronounced dead at 6:53 p.m. CT.

Johnson’s execution was one of two that day in the U.S.; earlier, Benjamin Ritchie was also executed in Indiana for murdering a police officer in 2000. On the same week, there were four executions scheduled across states.

Security footage captured part of the horrific incident. Despite her severe injuries, Harris was able to identify her attacker before her death. During his trial in 2013, Johnson admitted to the crime and expressed remorse, saying, “I hurt an innocent woman.” He attributed his actions to being high on crack cocaine at the time and highlighted his struggles with addiction and a traumatic childhood.

Harris had worked in the convenience store for over a decade, living just a short distance away. She was a mother of four, grandmother to 11, and had seven great-grandchildren.

Prosecutors detailed how Johnson had entered the store, demanded money, and, after taking cash from the register, set Harris alight before calmly leaving. Witnesses testified that she immediately tried to extinguish the flames, desperately seeking help before a police officer intervened.

Johnson’s legal team did not seek any last-minute appeals. Previously, courts had denied requests to stay his execution, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected his bid to change his death sentence.

This execution marks Johnson as the fourth individual put to death this year in Texas, which historically leads the nation in capital punishment. This year’s total executions in the U.S. have now reached 18.

Such incidents raise broader questions about the justice system, capital punishment, and its impact on families. According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, public support for the death penalty has decreased over the years, with many calling for reforms in how justice is served.

For further information on capital punishment and related debates, you can refer to the Death Penalty Information Center.

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