Convicted In 1998 Killing

Utah Man Executed for Girlfriend's Mother's Murder

Convicted in 1998 Killing

Lethal Injection Carried Out at Utah State Prison

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah man was put to death by lethal injection on Thursday for killing his girlfriend's mother by slashing her throat more than 20 years ago.

Taberon Dave Honie, 50, was convicted of aggravated murder for the death of Claudia Benn in 1998. Honie was scheduled to be executed at the Utah State Prison in Draper, and his execution was Utah's first since 2010.

Honie's family was present for his execution, and his daughter, Tressa Honie, spoke out against the death penalty in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.

"We are devastated by the state's decision to take Taberon's life," she said. "We believe that the death penalty is a cruel and inhumane punishment that does nothing to deter crime."

Honie's execution comes at a time when the death penalty is facing increasing scrutiny in the United States. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there were 17 executions in the U.S. in 2021, the lowest number since 1991.

The decision regarding the fate of Honie, who was scheduled to die by lethal injection, was a controversial one. His execution leaves a lasting impression on the debate surrounding the death penalty and its place in the justice system.