Texas executes Jewish-American man who killed an 80-year-old woman during a carjacking a decade ago

Jedidiah Murphy, 48, was convicted of capital murder in June 2001 after he shot and killed Bertie Lee Cunningham, 80, during a carjacking

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Jedidiah Murphy, 48, was pronounced dead after an injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the October 2000 fatal shooting of 80-year-old Bertie Lee Cunningham during a carjacking. 

'To the family of the victim, I sincerely apologize for all of it. I hope this helps, if possible, give you closure,' Murphy said as he was strapped to a gurney in the Texas death chamber.

Murphy then started to recite Psalm 34 and said: 'The Lord redeems the soul of his servants, and none of those who trust in him shall be condemned.'

He then told the warden he was ready as he turned toward a friend who was watching through a window and said: 'God bless all of y'all. It's OK. Tell my babies I love them.'

Right before the lethal dose of pentobarbital took effect, Murphy said: 'Bella is my wife!' 

A pastor stood over him as he took his last breaths and put his hand over Murphy's heart before a physician came in 20 minutes later to pronounce him dead at 10.15pm.

His execution came just after the US Supreme Court overturned an order that had delayed the death sentence from being carried out. 

The high court late Tuesday also turned down another request to delay Murphy´s execution over claims the drugs he was injected with were exposed to extreme heat and smoke during a fire that took place on August 25. 

He argued that the fire made the lethal drugs unsafe and would leave him at risk of pain and suffering.

Murphy also tried to challenge the evidence brought against him for the savage murder of Cunningham, but state attorney general's office appealed the 5th Circuit's decision and ruled in Texas' favor. 

His lawyers filed a lawsuit seeking DNA testing of evidence presented at his 2001 trial and questioned evidence of two robberies and a kidnapping used by prosecutors to persuade jurors during the penalty phase of his trial.

The evidence concluded that Murphy would be a future danger - a legal finding needed to secure a death sentence in Texas.

Though Murphy admitted he killed the elderly woman back in 2000, he denied he committed the robberies or kidnappings. 

His attorneys argued that the prosecutors used these crimes against Murphy because it was the strongest evidence they had to show that he was an ongoing threat. 

They also said that linking him to these crimes were 'problematic' as they included a questionable identification of Murphy by one of the victims. 

Prosecutors said that Murphy's request for a stay was 'manipulative' and that it should've been filled years ago. 

They argued against the DNA testing and said that Texas state law only allows for post-conviction testing of evidence that is related to guilt or innocence, not to a defendant's sentence. 

'A capital inmate who waits until the eleventh hour to raise long-available claims should not get to complain that he needs more time to litigate them,' the attorney general's office said. 

On October 4, 2000, Cunningham left her home around 3pm to go shopping at Collin Creek Mall and when she still hadn't returned by 8pm, her sister Evelyn Shelton reported her missing.

'They wondered if maybe she'd just wandered off. But she's not like that. She's very sharp, very active and outgoing. She's a very young 80,' Shelton said at the time. 

According to court records, Murphy approached Cunningham and forced her to give him a ride at gunpoint. About 30 minutes later he shoved her into the trunk of her car and shot her in the head. 

He then dumped her body in a nearby creek and used her credit card to buy cigarettes and alcohol. 

Murphy admitted to shooting the elderly woman upon his arrest and soon led the police to her deceased body. 

The Dallas Morning News reported that Cunningham's family wrote a statement that publicly thanked the community for their support for the 'kind, loving Christian woman'. 

In June 2001 Murphy was convicted of capital murder.

He never denied that he killed Cunningham, but he did say in an 11-page written testimonial that he was 'blinking in and out' of consciousness and did not remember leaving the house that night. 

He admitted that he carjacked the 80-year-old woman for 'no reason at all'. 

DailyMail.com contacted the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and have revealed that inmates are not allowed to request their last meal, but instead get to choose from a list of options on the menu for that day. 

Murphy's last meal options included baked chicken, pinto beans, cheesy rice vegetable blend, corn, peaches, sliced bread, cheeseburger, green beans, oven fired potatoes, mustard and pickles. 

It is unclear which of Cunningham's family members were present at Murphy's execution and which friend of his was there as well.