Utah man Taberon Dave Honie, who was convicted of aggravated murder for slashing the throat of his girlfriend's mother in 1998, was put to death by lethal injection early Thursday. Honie, now 48 years old, broke into the Cedar City home of Claudia Benn, the maternal grandmother of his daughter, after a day of heavy drinking and drug use. He inflicted fatal injuries on Benn and was also found to have sexually abused one of her other grandchildren.
Before the execution, Honie expressed love for his family members, stating, 'From the start it’s been, if it needs to be done for them to heal, let’s do this.' He encouraged others to continue changing and expressed his love to his brothers and sisters. As the lethal injection was administered, he mouthed 'I love you' to his family in the witness chamber.
Following the injection, Honie gasped and eventually passed away after a few minutes. He thanked correctional officers for caring for his family before losing consciousness. The execution proceeded as planned and lasted about 17 minutes. Honie's last meal consisted of a cheeseburger, french fries, and a milkshake.
The murder had caused a rift between Honie's family and Benn's family, with some of Benn's relatives believing Honie deserved no mercy despite his daughter Tressa's plea for his life to be spared. Honie, who grew up on the Hopi Indian Reservation in Arizona, spent his final evening with his daughter and immediate family, having come to terms with his fate and hoping for his daughter's acceptance.
