Alabama death row inmate Carey Dale Grayson, convicted of the murder and mutilation of hitchhiker Vickie Lynn DeBlieux in 1994, became the third person in the U.S. to be executed by nitrogen gas. The execution, which some witnesses describe as torture, was the 22nd in the country this year and the sixth in Alabama. The state’s governor, Kay Ivey, highlighted the horrifying nature of DeBlieux’s murder in a statement following the execution.
Jodi DeBlieux Haley, the victim’s daughter, spoke out against the death penalty despite the devastating loss of her mother, condemning state-sanctioned homicide. While Grayson’s last words were profane, his movements during the execution were described as “for show” by Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm. Grayson’s last meal included soft tacos, beef burritos, and Mountain Dew Blast.
Grayson’s involvement in the murder of DeBlieux, along with three other teens, led to a brutal killing that included beating, stomping, and mutilating the victim’s body. While Grayson faced a traumatic childhood, including physical and sexual abuse, Haley emphasized the failures of the justice system. Grayson’s execution by nitrogen gas was previously used in Alabama for Kenneth Eugene Smith and Alan Eugene Miller, drawing criticism for its potential for causing pain and suffering. Despite Grayson’s mental health issues and reports of being in a manic state during the murder, he ultimately paid the price for his crimes through the controversial method of execution.
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