GEORGIA LAST MEAL
JOHN WASHINGTON HIGHTOWER
June 26, 2007

Last Meal: Hightower, 63, had a final meal request of four fried pork chops, collard greens with boiled okra and "boiling meat", fried corn, fried fatback, fried green tomatoes, cornbread, lemonade, one pint of strawberry ice cream and three glazed donuts.

The skinny: Hightower was executed for killing his wife and two stepdaughters.

More skinny: Hightower shot to death his wife and her two daughters (19 and 22) in their home.

Hightower admitted he had been having marital problems, drinking and snorting cocaine hours before he entered the home. He placed a gun under a pillow in the room he shared with his wife and waited for everyone to go to sleep. At about 3 a.m., he retrieved the gun and shot each of the three victims in the head.

A 3-year-old girl in the house, his wife's niece, was found unharmed.

He was arrested about 90 minutes after the shootings while driving his wife's car.

Last words and such: When given the opportunity to speak his final words, Hightower thanked his family and friends. "I want to say that I'm sorry for the grief I brought to the [victim's family." He also thanked his family and friends for their support over the years. "Last but not least, I thank my mother who stood by me for so long."

He declined an opportunity for a minister to pray for him.

Factoids: Hightower was the...

29th murderer executed in U.S. in 2007
1086th murderer executed in U.S. since 1976
1st murderer executed in Georgia in 2007
40th murderer executed in Georgia since 1976

Dozens of protesters stood outside the prison grounds Tuesday evening.

The execution was Georgia's first in nearly two years.