Montgomery, AL – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced on Wednesday that the execution of Casey McWhorter is scheduled to begin at 12:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 16, 2023, and will conclude at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023.
McWhorter is facing execution for his involvement in the 1993 shooting death of Edward Lee Williams in Marshall County. He has been on Alabama Death Row since 1994, following a jury’s 10-2 vote in favor of his execution.
According to court records, McWhorter, who was 18 years old at the time of the crime, conspired with two other teenagers, one of whom was Edward Lee Williams Jr., the victim’s son. Their plan involved robbing and shooting Edward Lee Williams Sr. at his residence.
On the night of the murder, McWhorter and a 16-year-old co-defendant entered Williams’ house while he was absent. They spent hours inside, ransacking the home and creating silencers for the rifles they discovered. When Williams returned home, a struggle ensued over the firearms, resulting in Williams being shot “at least 11 times,” as indicated in the records.
Following the shooting, McWhorter and his co-defendant stole the victim’s wallet and departed in his truck. They later met up with another teenager and the victim’s son. After dividing the stolen money and items, they went their separate ways. Notably, one of the involved teenagers promptly reported the crime to the authorities, as stated in a filing from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in the U.S. Supreme Court.
It’s worth mentioning that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case in 2021. Additionally, court records reveal that two co-defendants took plea deals in the case, while Edward Lee Williams Jr. is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Governor Ivey’s announcement sets the stage for a significant legal event in Alabama, reigniting discussions on the state’s capital punishment policies and the application of the death penalty in cases such as McWhorter’s.
