Riley Dobi Noel

Riley Dobi Noel (May 22, 1972 – July 9, 2003) was an American convicted murderer who was executed for the June 1995 murders of Marcell Young, Mustafa Hussian, and Malak Hussian in Varner, Arkansas.

Murder On June 4, 1995, Noel, accompanied by Terry Carroll, Curtis Cochran, and Tracy Calloway, were out driving in Little Rock, Arkansas in Cochran's car while getting high on drugs. A week prior, Noel's brother had been killed in a drive-by shooting, and Noel believed that a daughter of a woman he knew was involved and had set up his brother. Seeking revenge, Noel and his acquaintances headed to the home of the woman; Mary Hussian. Once the group arrived at Hussian's home, Noel ordered three of Hussian's children to get down on the floor. On July 18, 1996, he was sentenced to death.

In exchange for leniency, Cochran pleaded guilty to first degree murder and testified against his co-defendants. He received a 20-year sentence and has since been paroled. Calloway was convicted of three counts of first degree murder and received a 132-year sentence. She will become eligible for parole in 2032. Carroll was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. Because he was a juvenile at the time, his sentence was later reduced to 70 years.

Execution On July 9, 2003, Noel was executed via lethal injection at the Cummins Unit. His last meal consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, hot rolls, a green garden salad with ranch dressing, Kool-Aid, and cookies.

A media witness noted that Noel's chest heaved violently within 20 seconds of the lethal injection procedure. The witness reported that it was the most intense execution he had ever witnessed.