Death row inmate has sad realisation moments before being executed for heinous crime

It wasn't until moments before his execution last week that the horror of convicted killer Benjamin Ritchie's heinous crime finally dawned upon him, and he issued a gut-wrenching statement.

The 45-year-old had been on death row in Indiana State Prison since 2002 - two years after he was found guilty of the cold-blooded murder of a local police officer.

Ritchie had been in his 20s at the time, with the gruesome killing beginning with him and two friends stealing a white van from a petrol station in the Beech Grove area.

That night, the local police force were advised to look out for said vehicle, and in the hours that followed, Ritchie and his accomplices drove the stolen van right by officer Matthew 'Matt' Hickey.

Ritchie was executed 25 years after committing his crime (WTHR)

Hickey - who was on his way to a road traffic accident at the time - confirmed the sighting and called for back-up, after which two fellow police officers, one being William Ronald Toney, joined in the pursuit.

Eventually Ritchie drove the van into a nearby garden and the thieving trio attempted to flee the scene on foot. One managed to escape, while Hickey caught the other.

Ritchie, meanwhile, was chased by married father-of-two Toney - who had only been on the force for two years.

Pulling out a gun, Ritchie fired four shots in Toney's direction, one of which struck him in the chest just above his bulletproof vest, fatally hitting the officer.

Following a lengthy trial and a number of appeals, in 2002, Ritchie was sentenced to death for Toney's murder.

It would take a further 25 years, however, for his execution date to be set. Eventually, it was ruled at a parole hearing earlier this month that the murderer would die via lethal injection on 20 May 2025.

During said hearing, Ritchie was asked if he had any final comments.

Toney was murdered by Ritchie (WTHR)

In response, the killer claimed he'd only recently wrapped his head around the heartbreaking impact of his crime.

According to a statement by the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC), Ritchie admitted: "I’ve ruined my life and other people’s lives, and I’m so sorry for that night.

"You can’t take back what you did."

It's somewhat rare for killers to express such sentiments of regret prior to their execution. Instead many death row inmates issue nonsensical statements, or bizarre attempts at humour in their final minutes, alluding to their warped mindset.

An example of such an instance was the 2002 execution of Aileen Wuornos - America's most notorious female serial killer - who famously told witnesses to her death: "I'd just like to say, I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back, like Independence Day, with Jesus, June 6th.

"Like the movie, big mothership and all. I'll be back."

The 1992 execution of California killer Robert Alton Harris was similarly bizarre, after the two-time child murderer uttered a chilling rhyme before being put to death.

Ritchie seemed to issue a statement of regret (Getty Stock Image)

"You can be a king or a street sweeper," he reportedly said.

"But everyone dances with the Grim Reaper."

Check out some similarly eerie final statements right here.