HUNTSVILLE — The State of Texas executed a Tyler man Wednesday night at the Texas State Penitentiary Huntsville Unit for torturing and killing a young woman in 1998.
Troy Clark, 51, was pronounced dead shortly after 6: 30 p.m., becoming the ninth person executed by the State of Texas this year.
Clark was convicted in 2000 after brutally torturing and drowning his former roommate Christina Muse in 1998. His final appeal was denied in 2017.
Wednesday morning, Clark refused his breakfast and spent the day packing his belongings and visiting with family.
At about 6 p.m., Clark was taken from his cell on death row and led to the execution chamber. After being strapped to the gurney, a medical professional inserted IV lines into both of Clark's arms. One of the IVs served as a primary means of injecting the deadly drug. The second served as a backup.
After the IVs were inserted, Clark was revealed to the witnesses. Among the witnesses were Clark's wife and some friends of his. Members of Christina Muse's family were also at the prison to witnesse the execution. According to Texas execution procedures, Clark's witnesses and Muse's family were kept separate throughout the day. During the execution, they were seated in two separate rooms.
The warden offered Clark to make a final statement. Clark said from the execution chamber:
"Thank you, I love you all. Sandra, nice meeting you. I love y'all. It's all good. I'm not the one that killed Christina, so whatever makes y'all happy. I love y'all. I'll see you on the other side. Y'all be good. OK Warden, I'm ready."
The executioner began the flow of the sedative drug Pentobarbital via remote control. For executions, Pentobarbital is meant to cause death by respiratory arrest.
According to the Associated Press, Clark said the drug "burned going in" and was laughing during the procedure. His last recorded words were, "I felt it." Afterward, Clark let out a grunt and then a gasp before snoring. Shortly afterward, all movement stopped.
Twenty-one minutes later, after being examined by a physician, Clark was pronounced dead at 6:36 p.m.
Muse's family said this moment couldn't have come soon enough.
"My heart is going out to these other two families... he wasn't tried for their murder of their loved ones, but they know he was guilty and we are all here supporting one another today," said Mary Lou Jones, Reese Luttrell's sister.
Texas State Law requires that no person or company involved in the execution to be identified. This includes the executioner, physician and companies providing the drugs.
Clark's body will be transferred to an area funeral home where is family is expected to claim his body.
Clark is the 17th prisoner put to death this year in the U.S. and the ninth put to death in Texas. The tenth is expected to be Daniel Ackers, who is scheduled to die Thursday evening at around the same time. This week marks the first time in six years Texas has put two inmates to death in consecutive days.
This story will be updated as details about the execution are made available.