MCALESTER, OKLAHOMA: "I am innocent," were the last words retreated by Anthony Sanchez, 44, who was convicted for raping and killing a University of Oklahoma dance student in 1996.
Sanchez, who earlier this year rejected his chance for a clemency hearing, was pronounced dead at 10.19 am CDT on Thursday, September 21, at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, following a three-drug lethal injection.
Anthony Sanchez's last words before getting executed
Sanchez said, "I didn’t kill nobody," before going silent forever, Associated Press reports.
Juli Busken, a 21-year-old Arkansas native who had just finished her last semester, was abducted from the parking lot of her Norman apartment complex on December 20, 1996, before being murdered.
The case remained unsolved for years until DNA from the crime scene matched Sanchez who was serving time for burglary in another prison.
Busken's body was found bound, raped and shot in the back of the head near a lake in southeast Oklahoma City.
Eric Allen of Columbus, Ohio, Sanchez’s attorney, asked a federal court to delay the execution.
He said he needed more time to examine boxes of evidence in the case. The Supreme Court, however, denied the request on Thursday, September 21.
Juli Busken's attorney said justice was finally served
The Busken family may have found closure as the attorney for the family said that justice was finally served.
However, no one from the Busken's family was reportedly present at the time of execution.
"Justice was served today for Juli Busken nearly 27 years after her life tragically was taken," State Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement as reported by CBS News.
"My hope is that today can bring some measure of peace to her family and friends," Drummond added.
Anthony Sanchez's had a complete last meal before his execution
Sanchez's last meal included chicken fried steak, fried okra, mashed potatoes and gravy, a roll, sweet iced tea and apple pie with vanilla ice cream, stated a report from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
He, as per the report, also criticized the attorneys who had represented him in the past on the case and thanked his supporters.
Sanchez had always maintained his innocence. In a phone call earlier this year with AP, he cast doubt on DNA evidence.
"That is fabricated DNA," Sanchez said, adding "That is false DNA. That is not my DNA. I've been saying that since day one."
Sanchez is the third inmate to be executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma this year.
