Death row inmate ordered single olive as final meal for extremely haunting reason

It's common practice to ask your friends what their last meal on Earth would be, and easier to forget it's actually tied to a death row ritual.

While we're busy listing all of the garlic prawns and tiramisu we'd tuck into, the truth of the matter is that the people who actually choose their last meal are prisoners who have been ordered to receive the death sentence as a result of being convicted of serious crimes.

One of the most popular death row meals in history are that of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who didn't hold back when requesting a bucket of KFC chicken, 12 fried prawns, a pound of strawberries, French fries and a Diet Coke.

Though, not everyone has such extortionate requests.

Victor Harry Feguer, who was executed at the age of 28 in 1963 and the last person to be put to death in Iowa, was convicted of the murder of Dr. Edward Bartels.

The killer rejected a lavish meal (Iowa Police)

Feguer scoured the Yellow Pages and called up a number of medical professionals in Iowa alphabetically, before landing on Bartels.

The killer, who was born in Michigan, told the unsuspecting doctor that there was a woman who needed medical attention, so Dr Bartels rushed over to help.

But it was all a ruse, and Bartels ended up with a gunshot to the head.

While Feguer denied killing Bartels, it was eventually theorised that Feguer had killed the health professional to steal drugs the physician may have been carrying to treat patients.

The criminal attempted to ask the President, John F. Kennedy, to commute his death sentence, but the crime was 'so brutal' that it was denied.

The President wrote: "Taking all factors into account, it is my decision that the petition should be and is hereby denied."

One olive was requested (Getty Stock Image)

Before being executed, Feguer was asked what his final meal would be.

His request was a single olive with a pit in it.

According to records, he then told guards it was in the hopes that when he was buried in the ground, an olive tree would grow from where he was lying, 'as a sign of peace.'

Feguer was then apparently found with the olive pit in one of his coat pockets after he had died.

Henry Hargreaves, a photographer who recreated a number of famous last meals for his collection 'No Seconds', told CBS News: "It's just such a polarising image.

"We think about last meals, and is it something that's going to be totally gluttonous, and then he just has a single olive."

"You know, it's so simple, beautiful, and kind of final. It's like a full stop at the end of his life."

• Death row inmate made final meal 'mistake' before being executed with lethal injection
• Death row inmates in one state now banned from requesting final meal after one man's controversial decision
• Death row inmate reveals bleak reason why he volunteered to be executed
• Death row inmate avoids execution moments before controversial procedure