Triple Murderer Ate Final Meal, Including Egg Rolls and Chocolate Cake, Before Being Executed by Firing Squad

Stephen Bryant, a South Carolina man convicted of three murders, was executed by firing squad on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, S.C., according to the Associated Press. Bryant, 44, was pronounced dead at 6:05 p.m. local time after selecting the firing squad over lethal injection or electrocution — all legal methods in the state.

For his final meal, he requested mixed seafood stir fry, fried fish over rice, egg rolls, stuffed shrimp, two candy bars and German chocolate cake, per AP.

The execution was carried out by three corrections employees and witnessed by 10 observers, including members of the victims’ families. Bryant declined to give a final statement.

Bryant was found guilty of a series of killings in the fall of 2004 during a week-long burglary and shooting spree across rural Sumter County. He was 23 at the time, the South Carolina Daily Gazette reported.

His first victim was 36-year-old coworker Clifton Gainey on Oct. 9, 2004. Two days later, he killed 62-year-old Willard Tietjen in his home. According to The Post and Courier, Bryant left notes written in blood on the walls, including one message saying: “Victim number four in two weeks, catch me if you can.” He also answered Tietjen’s phone and taunted the man’s family, telling them he was dead.

Two days after that, Bryant murdered 35-year-old Chris Burgess after encountering him at a convenience store, per the Daily Gazette.

Bryant pleaded guilty in 2008. Court filings cited by The Post and Courier show that his defense argued he had tried to obtain mental health treatment prior to the crimes, claiming he was struggling with trauma from childhood sexual abuse.

He is the third person in South Carolina to die by firing squad this year — and the seventh execution overall — according to the Daily Gazette.

Bryant’s attorney, Bo King, said his client’s final request was that no one be denied mental health care based on financial limitations, reflecting what he described as Bryant’s concern for others.

“That is consistent with the man we knew, who showed grace and courage in forgiving his family and great love for those in and outside of his prison,” King said. “We will remember his unlikely friendships, his fierce protectiveness, and his love for nature, the water, and the world. We will miss him.”

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