Alabama’s longest-serving death row inmate executed by lethal injection for murder of clerk

Ala. death row inmate executed in ‘76 rape, murder

ATMORE, Ala. — Alabama’s longest serving death row inmate has been executed by lethal injection for the 1976 kidnapping, rape and murder of a young convenience store clerk.

Thomas Whisenhant died Thursday at 6:20 p.m. at Holman prison near Atmore.

The 63-year-old inmate filed no stay requests as the 6 p.m. execution drew near Thursday.

Court records show Whisenhant, then 29, confessed to killing Sheryl Lynn Payton and two other convenience store clerks in a similar fashion. The crimes terrorized the Mobile area.

He had avoided execution for more than three decades because of prosecutorial error and successful appeals.