Atmore, Alabama – An execution at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in southern Alabama concluded violently as Carey Dale Grayson, 50, was put to death for the 1994 murder of Vickie DeBlieux, 37. Grayson, along with three other teenagers, took DeBlieux’s life as she hitchhiked through Alabama on her way to Louisiana. The gruesome murder led to Grayson’s execution, which marked the third time nitrogen gas was used for capital punishment in the nation. The novel execution method involves replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas through a respirator gas mask, resulting in death by oxygen deprivation.
As Grayson was executed, the nitrogen gas flowed for 15 minutes before an electrocardiogram confirmed his passing about 10 minutes after the gas initiation. Witnessed were shaken by Grayson’s sporadic gasps and gestures as they unfolded. Despite the heinous crime he committed, Grayson showed defiance up until his last moments, cursing and making obscene gestures at the warden. This was met with disapproval by DeBlieux’s daughter, who expressed displeasure against the execution, criticizing the act as simply “murdering inmates under the guise of justice.”
DeBlieux’s gruesome murder detailed a horrifying account. Her body was found mutilated at the base of a bluff near Odenville, Alabama, with the identification solely based on an earlier X-ray of her spine. The prosecution revealed that the four teenagers attacked and brutally murdered DeBlieux after offering her a ride, with one teen even showing a severed finger to boast about the killing. Such gruesome details unfolded as Grayson faced his long-overdue execution.
As his final moments approached, Grayson’s lawyers sought to halt the execution, citing concerns regarding the efficacy of the nitrogen gas method. Their appeal, however, was swiftly rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to the eventual execution. Despite the tragic nature of DeBlieux’s death and Grayson’s actions, the use of nitrogen hypoxia as a method of execution continues to spark controversy and debate on the ethics and humanity behind capital punishment.
Throughout the procedure, Grayson’s final movements were observed, with prison officials suggesting that some were merely involuntary responses to the gas. However, the controversial nature of nitrogen hypoxia as a means of execution remains a topic of contention, with Alabama being one of the few states to adopt this method. Despite Gov. Kay Ivey’s statement post-execution, offering prayers for DeBlieux’s loved ones, the fundamental debate around Grayson’s execution remains the central focus. As the execution was carried out swiftly following the denial of Grayson’s last plea, it further fueled conversations on the death penalty and its various methods of implementation.