Utah man who slashed woman’s throat gives 3-word message to family before lethal injection

As a Utah man who slashed the throat of his girlfriend’s mother was put to death by lethal injection earlier Thursday, he had a final message to his family members: ‘I love you’ .

Taberon Dave Honie was 22 when he broke into the Cedar City home of Claudia Benn, the maternal grandmother of his 27-year-old daughter, Tressa, in July 1998 after a day of heavy drinking and drugs. He repeatedly cut Benn’s throat and stabbed other parts of his body.

Honie was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death. The sentencing judge also found that Honie had sexually abused one of Benn’s other grandchildren who was at home with a then-2-year-old Tressa at the time of the murder.

Now 48, Honie was tied to the execution table at the state prison as family members watched from the witness box.

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Honie made a final statement before the two lethal doses of pentobarbital were administered.

“From the beginning it has been, if we have to do it for them to heal, we do it,” Honie said. “If they tell you that you can’t change, don’t listen. To all my brothers and sisters out there, keep changing. I love you all. Take care.”

Honie mouthed “I love you” to family members watching the execution in the witness box. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool, File)

After the lethal injection was given, he touched her foot and mouthed “I love you” to his family watching in the camera.

Honie let out a gasp as the drug flowed through the IVs in both arms, and his torso lifted off the table. He then lay motionless for several minutes before dying, turning a pale shade of blue as his glasses slid down his forehead.

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