Kenneth Edward Gentry
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Kenneth Gentry
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|---|---|
| Born |
Kenneth Edward Gentry
January 28, 1961 Cartersville, Georgia, U.S.
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| Died | April 16, 1997 (aged 36)
Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas, U.S.
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| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Other names | Used his brothers names |
| Occupation | Jack of many trades |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Spouse(s) | Ex-wife; Lynn |
| Children | Brandi Lynn |
| Parent | Elmer & Betty |
| Motive | Urged by his aunt and uncle to find a new identity |
| Conviction(s) | Capital murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death (March 5, 1984) |
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Date apprehended
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September 15, 1983 |
Kenneth Edward Gentry (January 28, 1961 – April 16, 1997)[1] was an American criminal who was executed on April 16, 1997, for the murder of 23-year-old Jimmy Don Ham. The crime occurred in Lewisville, Texas in 1983, technically Pilot Point. Gentry previously escaped from a Georgia prison in July 1982 and was attempting to throw authorities off by assuming Ham’s identity.[2] He had been serving ten years in prison for assault before his escape.[3]
Before his execution, Gentry issued the following final statement: I’d like to thank the Lord for the past 14 years (on death row) to grow as a man and mature enough to accept what’s happening here tonight. To my family, I’m happy. I’m going home to Jesus. As the lethal drugs began to flow, Gentry cried: Sweet Jesus, here I come. Take me home. I’m going that way to see the Lord.[4]
His last meal was a combination of butter beans, mashed potatoes, onions, tomatoes, biscuits, chocolate cake, and Dr. Pepper.[5]
See also
[edit | edit source]
- Capital punishment in Texas
- Capital punishment in the United States
- List of people executed in Texas, 1990–1999
External links
[edit | edit source]
References
[edit | edit source]
- ^ “Death Row Information”. Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
- ^ “Texas Executes Killer of a Hitchhiker”. ‘New York Times. April 17, 1997. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ Orlando Sentinel article Archived September 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ “HomicideSurvivors.com article”. Archived from the original on 2011-07-12. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
- ^ Price, Brian D. (2005). Meals to Die For. Artnik. p. 36. ISBN 1-903906-38-5. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
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- 1961 births
- 1997 deaths
- 20th-century executions of American people
- 20th-century executions by Texas
- American crime biography stubs
- American escapees
- American murderers
- American people executed for murder
- Executed people from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Fugitives
- People convicted of murder by Texas
- People executed by Texas by lethal injection
- People from Cartersville, Georgia