Indiana Man Executed for 2001 Rape and Murder of Teenage Girl

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana man convicted in the 2001 rape and murder of a teenage girl was executed early Friday morning. Fifty-three-year-old Roy Lee Ward was put to death at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. The execution marked the state’s third since it resumed capital punishment last year.

Ward was pronounced dead at 12:33 a.m. CDT following a lethal injection for the murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne. Authorities stated that on July 11, 2001, Ward entered Paynes’ home in Dale, Indiana, claiming to look for a lost dog. He then attacked Stacy, stabbing her repeatedly with a knife and a dumbbell. She later died from her injuries at a hospital.

Ward was apprehended at the scene, still holding the knife used in the attack. His conviction came in 2002, but after an overturned sentence, he pleaded guilty in 2007. Prolonged legal battles ensued until the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his case in 2017.

Just days before the execution, Ward’s attorney, Joanna Green, mentioned that he displayed signs of remorse. Ward’s final meal consisted of food from Texas Corral, including a hamburger and shrimp. He reportedly expressed a desire to share a statement, saying, “Brian is going to read them,” before his death.

The execution took place amid concerns regarding the use of pentobarbital, the sedative used in lethal injections. Indiana officials confirmed they had obtained enough of the drug to carry out the execution while facing scrutiny over how it handles the drug.

The community of Dale, home to approximately 1,500 residents, continues to grieve. Payne’s mother, Julie Wininger, shared with a parole board that their family gatherings are no longer whole, stating, “Our family has endured emotional devastation.”

Ward’s case spanned over two decades as appeals were submitted. Earlier this month, Gov. Mike Braun rejected his clemency request and the Indiana Supreme Court declined to stay the execution.