Death row inmate made final meal 'mistake' before being executed with lethal injection

As per a long-standing death row tradition, when convicted killer Wesley Ira Purkey was given his official execution date in July 2020, he was asked what he'd like for his final meal.

Interestingly, however, the 68-year-old's response to the culinary-based question haunts true crime fans to this day, and is often seen as one of the most painstaking mistakes that a capital punishment inmate has ever made.

For those unfamiliar with Purkey's crimes, the Kansas-born criminal was found guilty in December 1998 for the kidnap, rape and brutal murder of local high school student Jennifer Long 10 months earlier.

The 16-year-old had been walking home when her killer approached, inviting her to a party before plying her with alcohol and threatening her with a knife.

Jennifer was then driven to Purkey's property before being raped in his basement.

Purkey received his sentence in 2004 (Kansas Department of Corrections)

He then repeatedly stabbed the teenager until she died, before mutilating her remains with a chain saw and burning each piece in his fireplace.

Having gotten away with his first murder, in October of the same year, the professional plumber visited the home of 80-year-old widow Mary Ruth Bales, having been called out to fix the pensioner's kitchen sink.

The following day, however, under the influence of a number of Class A drugs, Purkey re-entered the property along with a prostitute he'd hired, where the pair proceeded to bludgeon Mary to death with a claw hammer.

After neighbours spotted him lurking around the home, however, they called the police, who discovered Mary's body and arrested Purkey on suspicion of her murder.

In 2004, he was handed the death penalty and transferred to the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he remained for 16 years.

By the time he received the official date of his July 2020 execution though, Purkey had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Because of his condition, he became confused when asked what he'd prefer to eat for his final meal on earth.

The killer had requested a pecan pie (YinYang/Getty)

Despite having requested a delicious pecan pie for his last supper, Purkey's mistake came when he asked officers to save the dessert for him to enjoy later on, seemingly unaware that there would never be a 'later'.

In spite of his dementia diagnosis, when the moment came round for the killer's long-anticipated execution, he appeared to show remorse for his crimes.

"I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused to Jennifer's family," he is said to have told witnesses - as per the Daily Mail.

"I am deeply sorry. I deeply regret the pain I caused to my daughter, who I love so very much. This sanitised murder really does not serve no purpose whatsoever."

Dr Gail Van Norman, a medical expert, said Purkey likely experienced an 'excruciating' death from the lethal injection, rather than the intended painless death.