Convicted child killers executed by lethal injection in Georgia and New Mexico

Associated Press ^ | 11/07/2001 6:50 am ET | Associated Press

[mdittmar]

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Saying she wanted to see a convicted murderer get what he deserved, a woman who was 6-years-old when she was raped and left for dead watched as her assailant became the first person executed in New Mexico in nearly 42 years.

Terry Clark, 45, was executed for raping and fatally shooting 9-year-old Dena Lynn Gore in 1986. He committed the crime while out on bail pending an appeal in the rape case of Donita Welch, who survived and is now 23.

Clark was executed by chemical injection Tuesday, about an hour before another convicted child killer in Georgia was put to death.

Before Clark's execution, a tearful Welch said she wanted to see Clark die and "make sure he got something taken away from him that he will never get back. He took it from me and Dena ... and now he'll never get it back."

Dena's bound, decomposed body was found in a shallow grave on the Squaw Canyon Ranch where Clark worked. She had been shot in the head three times.

The ranch foreman led investigators to his younger brother, Terry Clark, knowing of the prior rape case.

Clark never explained the Gore killing. He pleaded guilty and told a minister he'd raped the girl.

Before he was injected, Clark cryptically mumbled "15 minutes" nothing more. Warden Tim LeMaster LeMaster said the reference came from the book, "Dead Man Walking" by Sister Helen Prejean. State Attorney General Patricia Madrid said she was told Clark believed 15 minutes was how long it would take him to reach heaven.

As the drugs were administered, Clark's cheeks puffed, he gasped, grimaced and closed his eyes, then relaxed, and witnesses heard an exhaling and a gurgle.

Clark, who decided in March to end his appeals, never turned his head toward the witnesses.

"He didn't even bother to look at us; he didn't have any last words for us or anything," Jeff Gore, the dead girl's father, told the El Paso Times.

The last execution in New Mexico was on Jan. 8, 1960, when David Nelson became the only person to die in the state's gas chamber.

In Georgia, Jose Martinez High, 45, was also put to death Tuesday night for killing an 11-year-old boy during a 1976 gas station robbery.

Before High was executed at the state prison in Jackson, south of Atlanta, he denied killing Bonnie Bulloch.

"I did not kill that little boy," he said. "I could not hurt a child."

According to court papers, High taunted the boy, saying, "Are you ready to die?" as Bulloch begged for his life during the robbery in Taliaferro County.

The boy and his stepfather, who ran the gas station, were forced to lie on the ground and each was shot in the head. The stepfather survived and later identified High as the gunman. He was convicted in 1978.

[mdittmar]

May they burn in hell.

[mgc1122]

I'm only sorry it took as long as it did to get them to the exit. No loss at all to society.

[DWSUWF]

"...As the drugs were administered, Clark's cheeks puffed, he gasped, grimaced and closed his eyes, then relaxed, and witnesses heard an exhaling and a gurgle..."

Too easy by half.

[AngrySpud]

"Too easy by half."

Mebbe so ... but get a mental picture of where they're (presumably) at right now -- eternal fires that burn yet never consume.

[FITZ]

There were actually some idiots who opposed the death penalty for Clark.

[Delta 21]

Hi all.
Talk about a quick trip to FreeRepublic hitting home!!

Donita Welch is my neice. I remember going to the trial when Terry Clark was released on appeal. No one could believe it. This has been a trip thru hell for my brothers family since it happened. My mother was waiting at home when Donita just didnt show up from school one day.

I cant believe it.

He deserved it.

Frank Welch a.k.a.-Delta 21

[madrastex]

I hope this brings some closure for your family. It is my earnest hope that scum be executed on a regular basis, and not euthanized in the manner described in the article.I would really like to see them executed in public.

[Clintons Are White Trash]

What a horrible thing for any family to endure. I hope your niece and the rest of your family have some measure of peace knowing this scum will never be able to commit his atrocities on anyone else. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

[Delta 21]

Santa Fe New Mexican home : news : content
Clark executed

By BARRY MASSEY/The Associated Press November 07, 2001

Terry Clark, who raped and murdered a 9-year-old Artesia girl in 1986, a year after he was convicted of raping another little girl, became the first person executed in New Mexico in nearly 42 years Tuesday.

"Terry Clark left me for dead when I was 6 years old," said a tearful Donita Welch of Roswell, who was the little girl who survived the rape. She witnessed the execution. Her name had never been made public until Tuesday. "All I can say is that it was an act of God that I got away," she said. Welch, now 23, said she was present to see Clark die for killing Dena Lynn Gore, "to make sure he got something taken away from him that he will never get back. He took it from me and Dena ... and now he'll never get it back." Clark, 45, was pronounced dead at 7:10 p.m. After Warden Tim LeMaster read him the death warrant and Clark mumbled his last words.

[Former Proud Canadian]

Good riddance. My only question is why it took so long. These crimes occurred 15 to 25 years ago. Seems like 18 months should be plenty long enough to exhaust the appeals process.

[Delta 21]

This is such a rush of emotions. I am so proud of Donita for being there and seeing it through like she did.

I am deployed in the Coast Guard in Guam right now, so I am not where I really want to be. I new that his execution was coming up but I thought it was on the 17th so.... good news came a little early.

I know that my mother and Donita have prayed and searched for peace with this whole mess for a very long time....

[scooter2]

There were actually some idiots who opposed the death penalty for Clark.

There are idiots out there who oppose the death penalty for anyone. They would probably include Osama bin Laden in that.

[Psalm 73]

Although very conservative, I struggled for years with the capital punishment issue.
Then a couple of years ago during a short flight from Montgomery to Atlanta, I was blessed to sit next to a capital punishment attorney.
She represented the state during all capital trials and appeals. I am ever grateful to that woman for helping me to "see" clearly on an issue I have prayed for guidance on for a long time.
The death penalty is a duty of the state, and the state is appointed by God to mete out civil justice.
Capital punishment is absolutely compatible with being a born-again Christian.

[Delta 21]

Two friends of murder victim Dena Lynn Gore, Janice Thomas, back to camera, and Linda Reed, hug outside the Penitentiary of New Mexico on Tuesday evening, waiting for the execution of Terry Clark. Both women are from Artesia, where Clark abducted Dena Lynn Gore in 1986 when she was 9. (Kitty Clark Fritz/Journal)

These brave souls lost a loved one to Terry Clark. My neice was rapped by him when she was 6 years old. He raped and killed Dena while he was out on appeal for the rape of Donita Welch. This is the closest I have ever come to the debate of Capitol Punishment. From my perspective Terry Clark got off easy for what he did to two innocent little girls. I wish I could have been there to help Donita thru this time, but from her quotes in the papers she came thru with flying colors!

Donita, I am proud of you!

Frank Welch a.k.a.-Delta 21

[Skooz]

Flush !

[GailA]

One less prep to feed and house in a country club prison. Once less prep to prey on children. It is aweful that so many killers get plea bargains and sentences unequeal to the murders they commit.

THROW AWAY THE KEYS (online petitions objection to the early release of convicted killers (HINT letter writers WANTED/NEEDED) Click Here

[Delta 21]

Thanks GailA for your web site! Ive bookmarked it and will pass it on.

Not that the New Mexico prison was a country club but it was costing $89,000 a years to keep Terry Clark alive and it only cost New Mexico $12,000 for the two qualified guys from Texas (they really know how to do this kinda thing in Texas!) to come over and stick the needle in this piece of crap.

From the day that he kidnapped and raped Donita one member of our family always seemed to be able to keep the others from killing Clark ourselves. God was on our side because he always let at least one of us keep our cool while the others were ready to lock and load on this guy.

This thing took way too long!

[butter pecan fan]

Golly. I wept when I saw this photo.

[ArrogantBustard]

May they burn in hell.

They had 15 years to repent. I hope they took the opportunity to do so. God forbid that I should wish eternal damnation on anyone

AB

[carpio]

In Las Cruces, in southern New Mexico, local Democrats predictably protested the execution.

Democrat Response

Sane decent people protest the delay in seeing some small measure of justice.