Disclaimer: The article contains mention of murder and assault. Readers’ discretion is advised.
The South Carolina serial killer and rapist, Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins Jr., died on September 6, 1991, at 1:10 A.M.
According to The New York Times, Gaskins was executed using an electric chair. He confessed to the murder of 13 individuals. However, the execution was because of his role in the murder of this 14th victim, Rudolph Tyner (an inmate). Reports suggest that Gaskins killed Tyner with a homemade bomb, which was disguised as a radio.
Even though there was a last-minute request for a stay of execution, the Supreme Court denied the appeal. Gaskins became the 153d person to be executed since the Supreme Court resumed capital punishment in 1976. Furthermore, The New York Times reported that a few hours before his death, he cut his arms with a razor blade. When prison guards bought him breakfast, they found him bleeding.
What was Donald Henry Gaskins convicted of?
Officials arrested Donald Henry Gaskins on April 26, 1976. The court charged him with eight counts of murder and sentenced him to death on May 24, 1976.
According to All That’s Interesting, in November 1976, the Supreme Court ruled South Carolina’s death penalty unconstitutional, and Gaskins received life imprisonment. However, After murdering an inmate named Rudolph Tyner, the court yet again sentenced him to death.
At first, Gaskins tried to poison Tyner. However, this did not work since the latter always vomited the food back up. On the phone, Gaskins told his accomplice, “I came up with something, he can’t be no damn making sick on it. I need one electric cap and as much of a stick of damned dynamite as you can get.”
Donald Henry Gaskins gradually gained Tyner’s trust, sent him a radio, and convinced him that they would communicate using that device. However, it was rigged with explosives which ended up killing the latter.
