Donnie Cleveland Lance
Donnie Cleveland Lance | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 23, 1953 |
| Died | January 29, 2020 (aged 66) |
| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Murder (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Death (June 23, 1999) |
| Details | |
| Victims | Sabrina Lance, 39 Dwight "Butch" Wood Jr., 33 |
| Date | November 8–9, 1997 |
Donnie Cleveland Lance (December 23, 1953 – January 29, 2020) was an American convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Georgia on January 29, 2020. He was convicted of killing his ex-wife, Sabrina Lance, and her boyfriend, Dwight Wood Jr.[1]
Murders
[edit]The murders of Sabrina Lance, 39, and Dwight Wood, 33, occurred shortly before midnight on November 8, 1997. Lance arrived at Wood's home and kicked in the front door. He then shot Wood in the front and back with a shotgun. Afterward, he beat Sabrina Lance to death with the same shotgun. Lance had a history of abusing Sabrina, including strangling her, beating her, and threatening to kill her. He once attempted to strangle her and also tried to electrocute her with a car battery.[2]
Sentencing
[edit]Lance was sentenced to death by lethal injection on June 23, 1999, for the murders of his ex-wife and her boyfriend.[3]
Execution
[edit]On January 17, 2020, an execution date was set between January 29, 2020, and February 5, 2020.[4] It was then scheduled for January 29, 2020, at 7:00 P.M (EST). He was pronounced dead at 9:05 P.M (EST). Lance declined to make a final statement and said "no" when asked if he wanted a final prayer.[5] His last meal consisted of two chili steak burgers, French fries, onion rings, mustard, ketchup, and a soda.[6] He was the second person to be executed in the United States in 2020, and the 76th person to be executed by the state of Georgia.[7] The next execution in Georgia did not occur until over four years later when Willie James Pye was executed in March 2024.[8]
See also
[edit]- Capital punishment in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Capital punishment in the United States
- List of people executed in Georgia (U.S. state)
- List of people executed in the United States in 2020
References
[edit]- ^ Brumback, Kate (January 29, 2020). "Georgia man put to death for the 1997 killings of 2 people". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Donnie Cleveland Lance executed by lethal injection for killing ex-wife and her lover". Mirror. January 30, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ Knowles, Hannah (January 31, 2020). "A man was executed for beating his ex-wife to death. Their children begged the state to spare his life". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ "Execution Date Set for Donnie Cleveland Lance". January 17, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Donnie Lance's last breaths and what his death means". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. January 31, 2020. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Last meal announced for Georgia inmate scheduled for execution next week". 11 Alive. January 23, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Man convicted of killing ex-wife, boyfriend executed in Georgia". Reuters. January 29, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ Michelle Del Rey (March 21, 2024). "Willie Pye becomes first person executed in Georgia in four years". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.