Death Row - The Last Words of Serial Killers & Murderers

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What are the last words, at the very moment of the execution, of some of the world's most notorious serial killers and murderers? And why is what they've said, so important? Well, most of us will never be given the opportunity to plan, write and rehearse our final words, at best we'll be able to mutter "ouch", "f**k" or "what bus?", so reading the final words of a person whose final moment is fast approaching, gives you a startling insight into their lives, loves, fears and regrets. I've chosen fifty for your absorbing; some are silly, some are sad, some are alluringly profound, but all are the actual final words of a murderer or serial killer. 

• "Hey fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow's paper? French Fries" - James French, the last person executed in Oklahoma by electric chair
• "Tell me. After my head has been chopped off, will I still be able to hear, at least for a moment, the sound of my own blood gushing from the stump of my neck? That would be a pleasure to end all pleasures" Peter Kurten, "The Vampire of Dusseldorf"
• "I would suggest that when a person has a thought of doing anything serious against the law, that before they did that they should go to a quiet place and think about it seriously" - William Bonin alias “The Freeway Killer”
• “I’d rather be fishing” - Jimmy Glass
• “Well gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel” - George Appel, murderer, executed by electric chair
• “Take a step forward lads. It will be easier that way” - Erskine Childers, Irish patriot and rebel, killed by firing squad
• “You can be a king or a street sweeper, but everyone dances with the Grim Reaper” - Robert Alton Harris
• “Beam me up!” - Gary Burris
• “I would like to tell everybody that I’m sorry about the situation that happened. My bad. My brother, where’s my stunt double when you need one” - Vince Gutierrez
• “I love my family. Potato, potato, potato” – Robert Towery’s “potato, potato, potato” refers to the sound made by a Harley-Davidson motorbike, this was Towery's way of letting his family know that everything was okay

• "Kiss my ass" - John Wayne Gacy aka “The Killer Clown”
• "I'd just like to say I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back like Independence Day, with Jesus, June 6th, like the movie, big mother ship and all. I'll be back" - Aileen Wuornos, female serial killer, as depicted by Charlize Theron in Monster
• "Hurry up, you Hoosier bastard. I could kill ten men while you're fooling around" - Carl Panzram

• "I'll be in Hell before you start breakfast, boys. Let her rip" - Tom Ketchum
• "Take your time. Don't bungle it" - Dr H.H.Holmes, American’s first convicted serial killer
• "You sons of bitches. Give love to Mother" - Francis 'Two Gun' Crowley
• "I don't care if I live or die. Go ahead and kill me" - Jeffrey Dahmer
• "I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends" – Theodore “Ted” Bundy
• "Such is life" - Ned Kelly​
• ​"I did not get my Spaghetti O's (as requested for his last meal). I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this" - Thomas J. Grasso
• "I don't even know why I'm here" - Albert Fish, kidnapper, murderer and cannibal of over 100+ children
• “I have nothing to say” – Amelia Dyer, who murdered 400+ children
• “I’ll let my lawyers talk for me. I’m ready to go” - Donald Henry Gaskins murdered 100+ hitchhikers over a 30 year period, and dubbed the Meanest Man in America

• "Turn up the radio and I'll go quietly" – Peter Manuel
• "Gentleman, I have one last piece of advice, look away, this will not be pretty to see" - Marcel Petoit, a French doctor who killed around 60 people during World War Two, who was only discovered when 23 of his victims were found in his Paris home.​​
• ​“I am ready to be released. Release me” - Kenneth McDuff, but having had his death sentence commuted in 1989, McDuff killed ten additional people just three days after his release from prison.
• “Hurrah for anarchy! This is the happiest moment of my life” - George Engel
• “Okay Warden, let’s do it. I love y’all. I can taste it already. I am starting to go” - John Avalos Alba, wife murderer and child molester, who was executed by lethal injection.

• “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul” - Timothy McVeigh “The Oklahoma City Bomber”, who had a truly unusual last meal request
• “Let’s do it” - Gary Gilmore (supposedly the inspiration for the Nike slogan “Just Do It”)
• “An innocent man is going to be murdered tonight. When my innocence is proven, I hope Americans will realize the injustice of the death penalty as all other civilized countries have” - Roger Keith Coleman
• Willie Shannon told his victim’s family “If my life could bring your father back, then let it be. I’ll say when I see him (in heaven), I’m sorry… now go home, have fun, smile” - Willie Shannon, murdered a grandfather whilst trying to steal his car
• “Go Raiders!” - Robert Charles Comer
• “Good people are always so sure they’re right” - Barbara Graham
• “I am innocent, innocent, innocent. Make no mistake about this. I owe society nothing. I am an innocent man and something very wrong is taking place tonight” - Lionel Herrera​

• “See you all on the other side. Warden, murder me … I’m ready to roll. Time to get this party started” - James Jackson
• “Kathy, you know I never meant to hurt you. I gave you everything, and that’s what made me so angry. But I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry” - Carlos Granados, murdered his girlfriend and her 3 year old son
• “There is no way words can express how sorry I am for taking the lives of my babies. Now I can be with my babies, as I always intended” - Christina Marie Riggs, murdered her two children
• “I think that governor’s phone is broke. He hadn’t called yet” - Jeffrey Matthews, having had his execution postponed three times
• “There better not be a mix-up here. I don’t want no stay” - Jamie Bruce McCoskey

• “For the sake of decency, gentlemen, don't hang me high” - Mary Blandy was publicly hung wearing a dress
• “Keep the faith and rock on” - Richard Zeitvogel
• “It does kinda burn. Goodbye” – Triple murderer Jose Villegas’ final words as the pentobarbital (used in the lethal injection) took effect. He was pronounced dead…eleven minutes later”.
• “My left arm is killing me. It hurts bad” - Jonathan Green’s final words on the pentobarbital that was used to kill him by lethal injection.
• “Viva Mexico. Viva Mexico” - Humberto Leal
• “Today is a good day to die” - Mario Murphy
• “The rest of you can kiss my ass” - James Allen Red Dog’s final words, having apologised to his friends and family.
• “I said I was going to tell a joke. Death has set me free. That’s the biggest joke. I deserve this. And the other joke is that I am not Patrick Bryan Knight and y’all can’t stop this execution now. Go ahead, I’m finished” - Patrick Bryan Knight​

If you'd like to read up further articles such as unusual last meal requests on Death Row, the most likely day job for a serial killer, most likely name for a mass murderer, or even what is a serial killer's favourite drink, as well as a wealth of others? Click on the links marked in red. 

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Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, crime historian and tour-guide who runs Murder Mile Walks, a guided tour of Soho’s most notorious murder cases, hailed as “one of the top ten quirky & unusual things to do in London” and featuring 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.