The state of Texas went ahead with the execution by lethal injection on Tuesday of a man convicted of murdering an elderly woman 20 years ago, despite attempts to get him pardoned.

The execution of 48-year-old Jedidiah Murphy brings to 20 the number of executions carried out in the US this year.

The execution took place yesterday, Tuesday, World Day Against the Death Penalty, at a prison in Huntsville. Murphy died at 22:15 (local time, 06:15 Greek time), according to the Texas Department of Justice.

“To the victim’s family I want to say that I sincerely apologize for everything I did. I hope this brings you some relief,” were Murphy’s last words.

On October 4, 2000 in Garland, northeast of Dallas, Murphy threatened a 79-year-old woman with a gun in order to take him away in her car. After driving for half an hour, Murphy forced the woman into the trunk and killed her. Murphy then drove to Van Zandt County, where he removed the body from the vehicle and dumped it in a creek.

He was showing symptoms of severe mental illness

According to his lawyers, Murphy had been abused by the foster family he had been placed with and was showing symptoms of severe mental illness, including hallucinations. Although he did not deny committing the crime, he claimed he had no intention of killing the woman.

An appeals court in Texas recently requested a stay of execution because of questions about the evidence used to sentence him to death. However, the state Supreme Court lifted that suspension yesterday at the request of the Texas attorney general.