Dusty Ray Spencer, a 74-year-old Orange County man, was executed by lethal injection Thursday night for murdering his wife, Karen Spencer. In his final statement, Spencer apologized to his family and expressed gratitude for the transformation Christ had brought about in his life.
Crime and Punishment
In January 1992, detectives said Spencer stabbed his wife, Karen, and beat her with a brick at their home. Karen’s son, Tim, tried to intervene, but she did not survive. A detective who worked on the case believed Spencer should receive the death penalty, citing the brutality of the crime and the fact that it was committed in front of Karen’s son.
Spencer’s spiritual advisor read a prepared statement from him hours before his execution. In it, Spencer said, ‘I’m so grateful for the transformation that Christ has brought about in my life. No, I’m not the man I once was. Words cannot express how sorry I am for what I did to Karen. I make no excuses. What I did was wrong and I’ve carried it every day.’
Spencer also addressed his stepson, Tim, directly in his statement, saying, ‘Timothy, I made you carry what no child should. I’m ashamed of what I did to you. I’m sorry.’
Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.
