Terrifying last words from the oldest death row inmate executed for murder

Carl Wayne Buntion, 78, killed police officer James Irby in 1990 and was sentenced to execution. He spent three decades on death row amid multiple unsuccessful appeals

A 78-year-old death row inmate said he was repentant and “ready to go” hours before he was executed in a state execution in the US.

The world’s oldest death row inmate was killed by lethal injection in a Texas prison after killing a police officer decades ago.

Carl Wayne Buntion, 78, killed police officer James Irby in 1990 and was sentenced to execution. He spent three decades on death row amid multiple unsuccessful appeals.

Lawyers for Buntion had unsuccessfully attempted to prevent his date with a lethal injection, arguing the punishment was “cruel and unusual”.

Despite those pleas, he was executed in a Texas jail around 7 p.m. local time Thursday night.

In a final statement shared by local media reporters, he said he felt remorse for the killing and wrote, “I’m ready to go.”

The explanation reads in full:

“Ok, first of all I want to say thank you to everyone who stayed; Karen, Linda, Barry, Danny, Barbra, God bless each and every one of you.

“I have a message for the Irby family. The shooting took place on June 27, 1990. A week later, a police officer named Michael Garrett showed up in my cell on his day off.

“He was in civilian clothes. I thought he was a chaplain. He came to the back where it’s a super department. The guys there started taunting him because the officer brought me a little Bible.

“He said boy do you know you just hit a brick wall? I’m a deputy sheriff. He asked me if you had ever been to church. Have you heard of Jesus Christ?

“I said yes, he then gave me a little Bible, which I call a Gideon Bible, which I read from Romans. The deputy said get right with God.

“The MP’s buddies, five or six guys, were standing in the hallway making fun of him and the MP said don’t listen to them, listen to my voice. That was July 4, 1990.

“I wanted the Irby family to know one thing. I have regrets for what I did.

“Ms. Irby, the little girl of one year old, I can’t remember her name, Cody was three and she was one when I took her father’s life.

“I pray to God they get closure for killing their father and Ms. Irby’s husband.

“I hope to see you in heaven one day and when you show up I’ll give you a big hug.

“To all my friends who have stayed with me over the years, I will not only say goodbye for so long. I’m ready.”