INDIANA LAST MEAL
KEVIN HOUGH
May 2, 2003

...he ate a lot of candy....

Last meal: Hough declined a last meal.

The skinny: Hough was executed for killing two men during a robbery in 1985. Hough also murdered a Polish immigrant eleven days earlier. Hough was sentenced to 60 years in prison for that murder.

According to testimony at Hough's trial, the victim's were holding some belongings of Hough's cousin, who owed them money for a room he rented from them. Hough went to the home to get the belongings. Hough pulled a gun on the men and ordered them to get down on the floor. Hough's half-brother, Duane testified one victim threw a remote control at Hough and Hough shot him. The other victim got on the floor, but Hough still shot him in the back.

Last days and such: Hough spent Thursday with his priest. Hough had the priest read Psalm 144 (see below) to ask God for strength. The priest said. “He was very calm, making phone calls to his family and friends, listening to music and watching TV. He also ate a lot of candy. Then the chaplain anointed Hough with oil, gave him communion and heard his confession. But Hough did not admit any role in the murders.

Last moments and words and such: In the moments before his death, Hough expressed compassion for the families of three men he was convicted of brutally murdering in Fort Wayne 17 years ago. He did not admit his guilt. "I hope the victims' families get some measure of satisfaction," Hough said shortly before he was put to death. "Hopefully, their grief won't be as much."

Factoids: One murder victim's relatives weren't able to watch the execution, but they were outside the Michigan City prison when Hough was put to death.

Due to remodeling, Hough and the other 39 death-row inmates were moved from Indiana State Prison to the Maximum Control Facility at the Westville Correctional Facility. The other death-row inmates will be returned to Michigan City when remodeling at the state prison is complete.

Hough was the 10th person put to death by the state of Indiana since Indiana resumed executions in 1981, and the 82nd overall.

Psalm 144

1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

2 He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.

3 O LORD , what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him?

4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.

5 Part your heavens, O LORD , and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke.

6 Send forth lightning and scatter {the enemies}; shoot your arrows and rout them.

7 Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners

8 whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,

10 to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David from the deadly sword.

11 Deliver me and rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.

12 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

13 Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields;

14 our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets.

15 Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD .