A death row inmate made a disturbing final request to the family of his victim before his execution.
The topic of death row and capital punishment often sparks strong opinions. Stories about last meals, final words, or strange last requests capture public attention. Some inmates use their last moments to express regret or sorrow, while others deepen the pain for victims’ families with cruel remarks or remain silent in defiance.
Matthew Lee Johnson was one of those whose final words unsettled many. After spending 13 years on death row for a brutal crime, Johnson’s execution took 26 minutes following a lethal injection.
In 2012, Johnson attacked Nancy Harris, a 76-year-old store clerk in Dallas, during a robbery. He doused her with lighter fluid and set her on fire after stealing money and a ring from the register. Surveillance footage captured him calmly lighting the fire and then walking out of the store, even stopping to steal candy as Harris burned.
Harris suffered severe burns and died in the hospital days later. Before she passed, she bravely described her attacker to the police.
During his trial, Johnson claimed he was high on crack cocaine and called himself “the lowest scum of the earth.” His defense said childhood abuse led to his drug addiction. Johnson insisted he did not intend to kill Harris but admitted he caused her death.
He asked his family for forgiveness, acknowledging the wrong choices he made and accepting the consequences. He also thanked God for his life.
Before his execution, Johnson faced the victim’s family through thick glass and said, “As I look at each one of you, I can see her on that day. I please ask for your forgiveness. I never meant to hurt her.”
Then came the chilling final request: “I pray that she’s the first person I see when I open my eyes and I spend eternity with her.”
His words left the family shaken, adding another layer of pain to an already tragic story.
