De*th Row Inmate Sings and Thanks Prison Guards in Final Moments Before Executi•!on
A death row inmate convicted of m*rdering teenage twins over three decades ago sang and expressed gratitude to prison guards in his final moments before execution.
Garcia Glenn White, 61, became the fifth man execut*d in Texas this year on October 1, receiving a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He was pronounced dead at 6:56 PM after reportedly expressing remorse for his crimes.
Despite admitting to authorities that he was responsible for five m*rders, it was the December 1989 k!llings of 16-year-old twin sisters Annette and Bernette Edwards that led to White receiving the de*th penalty.
The k!ller, from Houston, was struggling with a crack coca!ne addiction at the time of the incident. He visited the girls’ mother, Bonita, at her apartment to smoke the drvg when an argument escalated into v!olence, leading him to st*b Bonita to death.
Her two daughters were in their bedroom when the commotion occurred, and when they emerged to see what was happening, White att*cked them as well. Evidence revealed that the former fry cook had forcibly broken down the locked bedroom door after Annette and Bernette fled in a desperate attempt to escape.
The m*rders took place just days after the teenagers turned 16, and all three victims were discovered with multiple stab wounds, their bodies partially clothed.
The case remained a mystery for six years until White’s arrest in July 1995 for the f*tal beat!ng of convenience store clerk Hai Van Pham during a botched r*bbery.
White’s accomplice revealed to police that he had confessed to the Edwards family m*rders. When questioned, White eventually admitted to the triple homic!de, a confession later confirmed through DNA evidence, according to court records. Police also reported that White had confessed to the 1989 beat!ng death of another woman, Greta Williams.
Prosecutors focused solely on the m*rders of Annette and Bernette, for which he was convicted in July 1996.
White was sentenced to death for his crimes, but despite filing numerous appeals over the years, all were ultimately denied.
“Two dead 16-year-old girls really illustrate the savagery of these crimes,” said Harris County prosecutor Josh Reiss in an interview with USA Today.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, who witnessed White’s execut!on, commented, “The suffering of the surviving family members is truly unspeakable. At least it’s finally over.”
White was allowed to have five loved ones attend the execut!on, but his attorney of 26 years, Patrick McCann, shared that White had asked them not to be present. “I think he wanted to spare them the pain of watching him die. Unfortunately, that’s the person they executed, and it’s a tragic loss,” McCann remarked.
When asked by the warden if he had any final words in the death chamber, White expressed deep remorse for his actions before unexpectedly breaking into song and praising the correctional officers who had cared for him.
“I apologize, and I hope you can find peace, comfort, and closure in your heart for the wrong I’ve done and the pain I’ve caused you and anyone else affected. I’m truly sorry for all the pain I have caused,” White said.
He also addressed his fellow inmates, saying, “To my brothers and sisters behind bars, keep pushing forward and love one another. To the administration and the guards, thank you for treating us like human beings.”
White expressed gratitude to his loved ones for the “love and comfort” they had provided, urging them to “stay strong.”
As the lethal dose of pentobarbital began to take effect, White sang several verses of the hymn “I Trust in God” before making loud, snore-like sounds. Seventeen minutes later, he was pronounced dead.