Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The state of Oklahoma recently carried out its first execution of the year, administering a lethal injection to Michael Dewayne Smith, a man convicted of a double murder in 2002. Smith, who was 19 at the time of the crime, killed Janet Moore and Sarath Babu Pulluru during a drug-fueled crime spree in Oklahoma City.
Smith, now 41, was the 12th person executed in Oklahoma since the state resumed carrying out death penalties in 2021 after a nearly seven-year hiatus plagued by problems during executions. Smith’s last words before the lethal injection were, “Nah, I’m good.”
The resumption of executions followed incidents in 2014 and 2015 where condemned prisoners faced prolonged suffering before dying. Smith’s crimes were committed while he was on the run for a shooting death a year earlier, showing a pattern of violence and disregard for the law.
Janet Moore was killed by Smith in a misguided search for her son, whom Smith believed to be a police informant. Additionally, Sarath Babu Pulluru lost his life when Smith mistakenly targeted him, thinking he was a convenience store clerk who had spoken out against Smith’s criminal gang in a local newspaper.
Reportedly, Smith died within minutes of receiving the lethal cocktail of three drugs at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. The Department of Corrections confirmed his death at 10:20 ET on Thursday. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed gratitude for the justice served, while the families of the victims echoed their relief that justice was finally achieved after 22 years of pursuit.
The family of Janet Moore acknowledged the closure brought by Smith’s execution, recognizing it as justice for a loss that had deeply affected them for generations. Similarly, Sarath Babu Pulluru’s family honored his memory, stating that he will forever be cherished in their hearts. The execution of Michael Dewayne Smith signifies the culmination of a long legal process seeking justice for the victims and their families in Oklahoma.