A death row killer's haunting final words before he was executed have been revealed.
Oscar Smith, from Tennessee, was convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting Judith Smith, 13-year-old Jason Burnett, and 16-year-old Chad Burnett in their Nashville home on October 1, 1989.
Prosecutors presented evidence that the death row inmate had taken out life insurance policies on all three victims, attempted to hire others to commit the crime, and was heard referring to by his middle name “Frank” in a chilling 911 call made the night of the murders.
After more than three decades on death row, multiple execution delays due to COVID-19, and problems with the state's lethal injection protocol, Smith was finally put to death at 10:47AM at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution.
He received a lethal dose of pentobarbital, administered through an IV in his right arm.
In a composed final statement before his execution, Smith blasted the criminal justice system. “It doesn’t work,” he declared.
"He [Gov. Bill Lee, Smith] has the last word and is the last person who can give justice where justice is needed," per AP News. "I’m not the first, and I’m not going to be the last," he added.
Speaking to his spiritual adviser in the chamber, Smith’s final words were, “I didn’t kill her.” Witnesses noted he showed no signs of distress as his breathing gradually stopped.
Smith’s execution marked a historic first for Tennessee, as a spiritual adviser was permitted inside the chamber to provide support. She comforted Smith with prayers and sang the hymn 'I’ll Fly Away' during his final moments.
Despite new DNA evidence discovered in 2022 on one of the murder weapons belonging to an unknown person, a judge ruled that it did not outweigh the overwhelming evidence against the innmate and denied a request to reopen the case.
Outside the prison, Judith’s sister Terri Osborne and brother Mike Robirds, who witnessed the execution, stood beside large portraits of their loved ones.
“The pain of losing Judy, Chad, and Jason is something we will continue to carry,” Osborne said. “We miss the sound of Judy’s voice, the excitement of Chad’s driving lessons, and the pure joy of Jason’s laughter.”
Robirds added: “No one should have to live in fear like our sister did. And no family should have to endure a loss like ours.”
Smith’s attorney, Amy Harwell, described her client as having a “cantankerous, curmudgeonly brand of kindness” and said he would not be autopsied due to religious beliefs.
However, she emphasized that autopsies in other cases have shown the execution method causes “excruciating pain and suffering".
Outside the facility, reactions were divided. Christina Isbell, a death penalty opponent from Christ Church Cathedral, said: “Even though somebody else may commit a horrible crime, you don’t go do that to them as well.”
In contrast, death penalty supporter William Burgess, who claimed to be one of the first people to find the bodies, stated bluntly: “He lived too long. Waste of taxpayers’ money.”
Smith’s death marks the 19th execution in the U.S. this year, with nine more scheduled in seven states before the end of 2025.