David Brewer

David Brewer, who brutally attacked and murdered a young Springdale bride in 1985, was put to death by lethal injection at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility. The time of death was 10:20 a.m.,prison officials said.

Brewer, 44, killed Sherry Byrne after she apparently rejected his amorous advances. Just months before, Byrne had married a fraternity brother of Brewer's and settled in Springdale, where they planned to raise a family.

He pleaded innocent by reason of insanity and was convicted of aggravated murder and kidnapping.

For his “special meal”, Brewer dined on fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, apple pie and root beer, said Andrea Dean, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. He visited with his family members, then had a restful night, she said.

He was awakened at 6 a.m., and had Rice Krispies and water for breakfast, Dean said.

The death was to be witnessed by Byrne's mother, Myrtle Kaylor of Dayton, Ohio, and Byrne's husband, Joe, now remarried and living in New Jersey with his wife and three children.

Brewer walked briskly into the death chamber and lay on the table. He wore a white V-neck T-shirt, blue pants with orange stripes and tan boots. Brewer said in his last statement "I'd like to say to the system in Ohio as far as the death row inmates are concerned, there are some that are innocent. I'm not one of them, but there are plenty that are innocent. I hope the state recognizes that. That's all I have to say."

The victim's husband, witnessing Brewer's execution, said softly: "Where's your remorse?"

Brewer's execution was delayed about ten minutes because the execution team had trouble fitting the shunts that would carry the chemicals to his veins into his arm.

Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)