Prosecutors said the 45-year-old defendant, Johnny, who took a little girl from her home, brought her to an abandoned factory, attempted to se-ually assault her before killing her with a brick, was executed, state officials say. A lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered and the convicted killer was pronounced dead, state officials say. Johnny was sentenced to death for the abduction, se-ual assault, and murder of 6-year-old Casey.
Gov. Parson confirmed that the state would be going forward with Johnny’s execution, with the governor saying his crime was one of the most horrific murders that has come across his desk. Prior to being executed, the convicted killer reportedly released a written final statement in which he apologized to Casye and her family. “God Bless. Sorry to the people and family I hurt,” he wrote, according to WLFI-TV. According to the court documents, the 6-year-old victim reportedly lived with her mother and siblings at her grandfather’s house. Casey’s dad was staying across the street with another couple so he could remain close to his children.
That couple also allowed Johnny to stay at the house for a few nights. On the morning of July 26, 2002, Johnny woke up on the living room couch with Casey standing in the room watching television. Johnny reportedly decided that to avoid being caught for se-ually assaulting her, he would kill her after having se* with her. The convicted killer then asked the little girl if she wanted to go to the glass factory to play games and have fun. Casey said she would go with him and they left, L&C reported. Once in the pit, Johnny attempted to se-ually assault the 6-year-old child, but the girl started screaming, kicking, and pushing at him, even leaving scratch marks across his chest. As he grew more frustrated, Johnny decided to simply kill Casey.
The convicted killer then grabbed a brick and hit Casey in the head with it at least six times. She was not yet dead and started to run around the pit, so Johnny hit her with the brick again. When the little girl attempted to crawl away from Johnny, e struck her with the brick again. Johnny then then lifted a big boulder and brought it down on the back left side of Casey’s head and neck, causing multiple skull fractures. Witness, who reportedly found the little girl’s body, told authorities that there was a piece of concrete that probably weighed a hundred pounds in the place where Casey’s head would have been. Johnny was picked up by police a few hours later and initially claimed Casey was hit in the head by a falling rock. Shortly after, he provided a full confession.
