A 48-year-old man was executed early Thursday morning, 25 years after being convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s mother in front of her three grandchildren. The Utah Department of Corrections confirmed At 12:30 a.m., Taberon Honie died by lethal injection.
Department of Corrections officials said at a news conference Honie said before the execution: “From the beginning, if it’s necessary for you to heal, let’s do it. If they tell you that you can’t change, don’t listen to them. To all my brothers and sisters here: keep changing. I love you all, take care of yourselves.”
Prison officials administered pentobarbital at 12:04 a.m. A second dose was administered at 12:13 a.m. Honie was pronounced dead at 12:25 a.m. His father and cousin reportedly performed a Hopi death ceremony after he was declared dead. The Salt Lake Tribune reports Honie’s death marks the first death row execution in the state since 2010. The last time a lethal injection was administered was in 1999.
The Utah Department of Corrections provided details about Honie’s final day, saying he spent time with his parents, sisters, daughter and other relatives. His last meal consisted of a cheeseburger, a milkshake and fries. He reportedly told his family to “keep their heads up” and “was even telling jokes.” He was described as being in a “jovial mood.”
According to court documentsOn July 9, 1998, at approximately 8 p.m., Honie called his ex-girlfriend, Carol Pikyavit, and told her to come to his house. She refused, and he threatened to kill his mother and nieces. Pikyavit and her sister left for work around 10:30 p.m. and left their three children in the care of Claudia Benn. Honie called a taxi at 11:20 p.m. and went to Benn’s house. The taxi driver reportedly “realized that Mr. Honie was intoxicated,” but still knew how to get there.
At 12:20 a.m., police arrived at Benn’s home after several neighbors called. When they arrived, police noticed a sliding door to the home was broken. Officers saw Honie running from the garage and ordered him to get on the ground. He reportedly had blood “from his fingertips to his elbows” and told one of the officers, “I stabbed her. I killed her with a knife.”
Police found Benn partially naked and face down on the living room floor. There was a bloody kitchen knife near her head. Court documents state that two of the three children “had some blood on them,” but one of them, identified as DR, “was covered, literally, from head to toe in blood.”
At the time, DR was not wearing underwear. A social worker gave the girl a new pair of underwear, but doctors decided to examine her after finding blood on the underwear. She reportedly suffered “abrasions to the genital area that were consistent with rubbing or fondling.” Doctors believe the injuries occurred within 24 hours.
The medical examiner said Benn’s throat had been slashed from the neck to the ear and that she had a cut on her spine. Court documents indicate that her genitals had been mutilated and stabbed. Honie reportedly confessed to detectives that he had broken into Benn’s home and killed her. He reportedly “expressed remorse for killing the victim and repeatedly stated that Claudia was not meant to die.”
Honie was tried in 1999 and found guilty of aggravated murder with aggravating factors of rape for sexual purposes, forcible sodomy, aggravated sexual assault, robbery and aggravated burglary. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a final aggravating factor of aggravated child sexual abuse.
Dear appealed the verdict and sentencing over the years, arguing that he had ineffective counsel and insufficient evidence to convict him, among other reasons. The Utah Supreme Court upheld the ruling in May 2014.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox He said after the execution, “Early this morning, the State of Utah fulfilled its legal obligation to execute Taberon Honie. Mr. Honie’s actions that led to his death sentence are atrocious. I respect the process of our criminal justice system and acknowledge the countless public officials who meticulously planned their responsibilities and approached them with professionalism. I hope this brings closure to those who were affected by the crimes. My heart goes out to the victim’s family.”
Attorney General Sean Reyes also published a statement “We understand that there are deeply held beliefs, powerful emotions, and differing opinions regarding the death penalty. Death by execution is one of the most extreme uses of governmental power. Many would argue that it is ineffective, inappropriate, and beyond human authority to exercise. Many would disagree. But there is no question that taking the lives of innocent human beings in a violent and unprovoked manner is one of the crimes that society considers most vile, repugnant, and punishable by the harshest possible measures. In states like Utah, that includes the death penalty.”
His statement continued: “As such, the State of Utah approached the exercise of its power and the responsibilities it entails with the seriousness and solemnity that such an act deserves. We hope that opponents of the death penalty will allow for mercy for those who performed their duties as required by law and did so with respect, professionalism, and in some cases, despite their own personal views.” Reyes wrote that he hopes Honie’s execution “will be a deterrent to other heinous crimes and prays that it will provide some measure of comfort to those who have been waiting for justice for decades.”