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Texas Executes Matthew Johnson, Marking Fourth Execution in the State This Year

Johnson, convicted of murdering a 76-year-old gas station attendant in 2012, was executed by lethal injection 13 years after the crime.

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Overview

  • Matthew Johnson, 49, was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, on May 21, exactly 13 years after his crime.
  • Johnson was convicted for pouring gasoline on a 76-year-old gas station attendant and setting her on fire during a robbery in 2012.
  • This marks Texas's fourth execution of 2025, contributing to a total of 17 executions carried out nationwide this year.
  • The use of lethal injection remains the predominant method, though states are exploring alternatives due to drug shortages.
  • Oscar Smith, a 75-year-old inmate in Tennessee, is scheduled for execution on May 22, with nine more executions planned across the U.S. this year.