An Arizona death row inmate, executed on Wednesday for a horrific crime involving setting a man and his girlfriend on fire, expressed gratitude in his final words for the kindness shown to him. Leroy Dean McGill, who was on death row for nearly two decades, was executed by lethal injection at the Arizona State Prison Complex and pronounced dead at 10:26 a.m. local time.
McGill faced the death penalty for the 2002 incident in which he fatally set Charles Perez ablaze and inflicted severe burns on Perez’s girlfriend in their north Phoenix apartment. On the morning of his execution, McGill, aged 63, had a final meal that included onion rings, bread and butter, chocolate cake, and a green salad, according to Fox10 Phoenix.
In the chamber, McGill acknowledged those present, including an Associated Press reporter, with smiles and nods. He was heard saying, “I’m going home soon,” moments before the lethal injection was administered.
After receiving a dose of pentobarbital, McGill exhibited labored breathing and emitted snoring sounds. Approximately 21 minutes later, his death was confirmed. His parting words, as reported by John Barcello, deputy director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, were, “I just want to thank everyone for being so accommodating and nice.”
After being administered a lethal dose of pentobarbital, McGill began breathing heavily and made snoring sounds. Roughly 21 minutes later, he was pronounced dead.
His last words were “I just want to thank everyone for being so accommodating and nice,” according to John Barcello, deputy director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry.
McGill tossed gasoline at Perez and his girlfriend, Nova Banta, as they sat on a sofa in their apartment on July 13, 2002.
Perez and Banta accused McGill of snatching a gun from the apartment before he set the fatal fire. McGill said he was using methamphetamine and hadn’t slept in several days at the time.
Banta survived the gruesome attack with third-degree burns over three-quarters of her body. Perez died later at a hospital in extreme pain, prosecutors said.
Jurors deliberated for less than an hour before handing down a murder conviction for McGill in October 2024. He was also convicted of a slew of charges, including attempted murder, arson, and endangerment of the apartment residents who fled the apartment building as the flames rapidly spread.
His lawyers had argued for McGill to be given leniency, presenting evidence that he was abused as a child and had a mental impairment and psychological immaturity.
This spring, his legal team made a last-ditch effort for McGill to be resentenced, but a lower-court judge rejected the bid.
McGill’s execution is the first of three lined up for this week. Tennessee and Florida each are scheduled to carry out executions on Thursday.
With Post wires
