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Murder of Stacy Payne

On July 11th, 2001, Roy Lee Ward gained entry to the Payne residence in Dale, Indiana, by pretending to search for a lost dog.

Once inside, he assaulted 15-year-old Stacy.
Her younger sister, Melissa, awoke to the sound of screaming and witnessed Ward holding Stacy down.

Melissa hid in her parent’s room and called 911.

When police arrived, they found Ward standing in the doorway, covered in sweat and holding a knife. The officers immediately subdued him.

Inside the home, officers found Stacy lying on the kitchen floor, nude from the waist down and severely injured.

She had multiple stab wounds. Despite efforts to save her, Stacy succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

A forensic examination revealed 18 blunt-force injuries and signs she was violated.

Ward was charged with murder and a couple of other charges.

During his 2002 trial, overwhelming pretrial publicity and community bias raised concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.

Despite these issues, Ward was convicted and sentenced to death, with additional sentences for the lesser charges.

Execution

His death date finally arrived on October 10th, 2025. According to the IndianaCapitalChronicle, he had a final meal from  Texas Corral that consisted of a hamburger, a steak melt, French fries, a baked potato with butter, a dozen fried shrimp, a sweet potato, chicken alfredo, and breadsticks.

The execution took place at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana, and started just after midnight.

When he was asked if he had any last words, Ward stated, “Brian is going to read them.” He was referring to his spiritual advisor, who was supposed to read a prepared statement, but according to Newsandsentinel, he wasn’t allowed to.

Ward was injected with pentobarbital and was pronounced dead at 12:33 am.

Newsandsentinel published his final statement after his death, and it read, “I wish I could go back and change things, but I can’t. I hate myself for what I did. If I could take with me every bit of pain I have caused Stacy and her family, I would. There is no excuse. I also hurt my family, I wish I could take that away. I have asked God for forgiveness, even though I feel I do not deserve it and cannot forgive myself. I hope my execution gives Stacy’s family some peace.”