The wife of a death row inmate who was put to death on Wednesday (5 February) held up their dog to watch his final moments.
Steven Lawayne Nelson was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, after spending 13 years locked up for the murder of a pastor.
He was put on death row after being convicted of beating, strangling and suffocating Reverend Clint Dobson, 28, during a robbery at the NorthPointe Baptist Church in 2011, while his secretary, Judy Elliot, was badly beaten but ended up surviving.
Nelson denied killing Dobson, however, saying he was at the church to be a lookout for the robbery, claiming that Dobson and Elliot were already on the floor when he arrived and were still breathing.
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The 37-year-old had maintained his innocence despite being convicted by a jury in 2012, and each of his appeals were denied by state and federal courts.
Marking the second execution to take place in the US since the start of the year, Nelson was pronounced dead at 6.50pm local time on Wednesday evening.
The 37-year-old made a series of chilling remarks as the process got underway, most of which were in reference to his wife Helene Noa Dubois, who got married two weeks before his execution date, according to AP.
In his final moments, Nelson repeatedly told his spouse that he loved and appreciated her while she watched on through a window a short distance away.
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Dubois had brought their white dog into the witness area, which she scooped up in her arms to watch the execution as Nelson said: "Give Monkey a hug for me."
Addressing his wife, Nelson said: "It is what it is," before encouraging her to 'enjoy life'.
"I’m not scared, it's cold s**t in here," the killer added. "But I'm at peace, I'm ready to be at home. Let’s ride, Warden."
As the lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered, Nelson reportedly told Dubois to 'let him go to sleep' before he was seen mouthing the word 'love'.
AP reported that he then briefly began trembling as the drug took effect, before he was pronounced dead 24 minutes later.
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Nelson's 'spiritual advisor' Jeff Hood was also present at the execution and told USA Today: "It took them forever to declare that he had passed. He fought to the very end."
Nelson was the first of four death row inmates who are set to be put to death in the States over the next three months.
He previously revealed that he had left it up to Dubois - who he connected with while in prison - to decide whether she wanted to witness his final moments.
Nelson explained his relationship with the French native began on a friendly basis, but as 'the years progressed, the love and the feelings progressed more', telling AFP: "I've never had human contact with her, it's always been behind glass.
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"When someone can love you behind glass and not touch you, or see what your scent smells like, none of that, and still love you deeply, unconditionally, that is something wonderful."
Discussing her watching his execution, Nelson said: "I really don't want her to see that, me getting pumped full of drugs and being overdosed with drugs to kill me, to make my heart stop.
"I think that would leave a bad impression. That would override the good memories we've had over the years, to always close her eyes and see that. But if she makes that choice to be there then that's her choice."
Nelson was also indicted over the death of another inmate who was murdered in 2012, however, he was never tried for this charge.
Olivia Burke