Execution Report: Ronford Styron

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A jury convicted Ronford Styron of capital murder in October 1994 and sentenced him to death. He was the first person to be convicted under a revised Texas statute that made the killing of a child under the age of 6 a capital offense.

Styron's lawyer argued that his sentence was unconstitutional because the state had not proven an intent to kill his son. Prosecutors pointed to Styron's pattern of past conduct and the child's old injuries as evidence of his intent. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed his conviction and sentence in October 1996. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

"I love y'all and I want y'all to know that," Styron said in his final statement. "I am going to go with my little boy and play with him." Styron then named several family members by name and said, Y'all be careful. Lord Jesus, I see your Spirit, it's o.k. I love you." After this, the lethal injection was started.

By David Carson. Posted on 20 May 2002.
Sources: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Attorney General's office, Beaumont Enterprise, Houston Chronicle.