Marco Allen Chapman

Marco Allen Chapman (September 4, 1971 – November 21, 2008) was a convicted murderer and the last person executed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was executed on November 21, 2008, by lethal injection at the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville, Kentucky. Chapman was executed for a series of murders he committed on August 23, 2002, in Warsaw, Kentucky, on Weldon Way, killing two children, Chelbi Sharon, 7, and Cody Sharon, 6, by stabbing after he had raped and stabbed their mother, Carolyn Marksberry, the city clerk of Warsaw at the time, over 15 times.

Early life Marco Allen Chapman was born in West Virginia on September 4, 1971.

Chapman previously worked in construction and as a soccer coach.

Chapman's last known address was in Warsaw, but the Boone County Sheriff's Office said he had been staying at a home on Beaver Road in Boone County.

Carolyn Marksberry had been counseling her best friend, unnamed, to get out of an abusive relationship with Chapman. The friend lived within yards of the Marksberry home on Weldon Way. Ms. Marksberry's unidentified friend often spent the night at the Marksberry home since she was afraid of Chapman. "put a knife to [Carolyn's] throat," and demanded of Carolyn to give him money. Carolyn gave Chapman all of her credit cards and all of her cash, which amounted to about $120. Judge Frohlich urged Chapman not to give up his right to a trial. Frohlich then ordered Delaney and Gibson, Chapman's court appointed lawyers, to remain on standby in case Chapman needed counsel. Delaney objected, saying he wanted no part in Chapman's "suicide". Frohlich ordered them to act as standby counsel. Kentucky Supreme Court determined that Chapman's plea was not an impermissible "suicide by court", that the plea was "competently, knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily made", and that the death penalty was "not a disproportionate sentence for Chapman's heinous offenses".

Final statement Chapman wrote in a statement he gave to Warden Tom Simpson to read, "I don't know why I did the thing that I did, and I know the hate of me over that night must be overwhelming, but Carolyn and Courtney you have to know that wasn't who I was or am," "I am not a moster (sic) even though I did a mosterously (sic) evil thing. That is why I give my life willing as well as quickly in hopes that you know how truly sorry I am. I hurt and ache daily for the loss I've created in the Marksberrys' family, but I hurt as well. I don't know if I deserve heaven after what I did, but I pray with all my heart that I find some sort of peace and happiness after my last breath."

At 8:15 p.m. Prison Warden Tom Simpson drew back the curtain so media witnesses could see Chapman. He was lying on his back with both arms tied to a gurney at right angles, perpendicular to his body. There were needles in each of his forearms. He was wearing a red T-shirt and was covered up to his chest by a white sheet. One witness said that Chapman had aged visibly in the last few months.

At 8:20 p.m. EST, Tom Simpson gave the order to start the deadly three-drug cocktail to flow into Chapman's veins. The three drugs were sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and potassium chloride. Sodium thiopental rendered Chapman unconscious.

At 8:22 p.m. EST, Chapman swallowed a couple of times, took a series of short breaths, and then his breathing became shallow. Pancuronium bromide stopped his breathing by paralyzing his muscles.

At 8:23 p.m. EST, Chapman's chest stopped rising, and he was motionless. At the same time, Warden Simpson reached over and closed Chapman's eyes. Potassium chloride stopped Chapman's heart.

At 8:29 p.m. EST, Chapman's skin color had changed noticeably, which indicated that his blood was no longer circulating.

At 8:34 p.m. EST, (7:34 p.m. CST) Chapman was pronounced dead by Warden Tom Simpson.

Corrections officers said that Chapman's mood was "peaceful". Paul Miles of 84WHAS radio, said he saw a tear come down from deputy warden Greg Howard's cheek.

After his execution, a hearse drove Chapman's body to the Lyon County Coroner's office, and he was cremated.

"I pray daily but not just for me but for Carolyn and Courtney that even though they have the right to hate me, I just hope they don't live with hate in their hearts," Chapman said in a last statement which was released shortly after the execution by prison officials.

The Associated Press reported that right before Chapman's execution, a group of about 10 people huddled in a semi-heated tent and read aloud the names of Kentucky's Death Row inmates and their victims. They prayed for Chapman, his victims and his execution team. Reverend Patrick Delahanty held a candlelight vigil on the day Chapman was executed because he wanted their presence to show that state executions are "not acceptable to everybody."

Carolyn Marksberry and her family issued a statement that was read to reporters after the execution. "I believe the tears shed today should be for the victims of this crime, not Marco Chapman. Perhaps now though, not only can our family and community start to heal, but Cody and Chelbi can rest in peace."

"The Bible says an eye for an eye," Garry Sharon said. "He took the lives of two babies. He deserves to die."

Chapman remains the most recent person executed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Steve Beshear, Democrat, was Governor at the time. The two previous executions by the state were Edward Lee Harper Jr. on May 25, 1999, and Harold McQueen Jr. on July 1, 1997, both in Eddyville. Chapman and Harper were executed by lethal injection, and McQueen by electrocution. Harper, like Chapman, waived the remainder of his appeals, and was executed in 1999.