An Arizona man convicted of murdering two people in 1980 was put to death Wednesday in the state’s third execution since officials resumed carrying out the death penalty in May after a nearly eight-year hiatus.
Murray Hooper, 76, received a lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for the killings of William “Pat” Redmond and his mother-in-law, Helen Phelps, at Redmond’s home in Phoenix. Redmond’s wife, Marilyn, also was shot in the head in the attack but survived and testified against Hooper at trial.
Authorities say the killings were carried out at the behest of a man who wanted to take over Redmond’s printing business.
In Texas late Wednesday, prison officials executed an inmate for killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and her 7-year-old son more than 17 years ago. Stephen Barbee was given a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.
Hooper’s death was announced by Frank Strada, a deputy director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry.
Hooper chuckled several times while interacting with the execution team. It took more than 20 minutes from the time the execution team members walked into the room until they inserted IV lines in his right leg and right forearm to administer the sedative pentobarbital.
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