Missouri man executed for ‘gruesome’ 2004 murder leaves chilling last words
Luke Gentile
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A man convicted of murder in Missouri left chilling last words Tuesday before he was put to death via lethal injection.
Raheem Taylor, 58, said he would “look forward” to meeting death before he was executed after the “gruesome” 2004 murder of his partner and her three young children, according to a report.
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“Muslims don’t die. We live eternally in the hearts of our family and friends,” Taylor said in a final statement. “From Allah we come, and to Allah we all shall return.”
“Everybody will get their turn to die. Death is not your enemy. It is your destiny. Look forward to meeting it. Peace!”
Taylor was declared dead around 6:16 p.m. at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri, according to the state Department of Corrections.
He reportedly kicked when he was first administered the 5 grams of pentobarbital before taking five deep breaths and dying.
Taylor was convicted for the first-degree murders of his partner Angela Rowe and her children AcQreya Conley, 6; Alexus Conley, 10; and Tyrese Conley, 5, according to the report.
Their four bodies were discovered decomposing in Taylor’s home in St. Louis County on Dec. 3, 2004.
Authorities had been alerted to the residence by family members who had not heard from Rowe or her children in days, and when they arrived at the residence, they discovered that there was a full mailbox, the television was on, and the air conditioning had been set to 50 degrees.
The victims had been fatally shot, but Taylor maintained he was innocent of any wrongdoing and said he had been in California when they were killed.
Records did show that he had boarded a flight to California on Nov. 26, but during his trial, a medical examiner said the victims had been dead for up to three weeks before their discovery.
Multiple attempts by Taylor’s team to avoid the execution failed.
“Mr. Taylor has been convicted and sentenced for crimes of which a jury found him guilty and, after a thorough review of the entire case, as well as the evidence presented by Mr. Taylor’s advocates, though we would not have sought the death penalty in this case [as a matter of office policy], we believe the jury got the verdict right,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said Tuesday after deciding not to move forward with a motion to vacate Taylor’s conviction and sentence.
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Gov. Mike Parson (R-MO) declined to issue Taylor clemency on Monday.
“Despite his self-serving claim of innocence, the facts of his guilt in this gruesome quadruple homicide remain. The State of Missouri will carry out Taylor’s sentences according to the court’s order and deliver justice for the four innocent lives he stole,” Parson said.