Cal Gaunt
A death row inmate made an extravagant request for a last meal consisting of 11 different items.
Ray Jefferson Cromartie’s fate was sealed when he was given the death penalty for the 1994 murder of Richard Slysz, a convenience store worker in Thomasville, Georgia.
Accompanied by Corey Clark, Cromartie went on a heinous spree, shooting Slysz twice in the head during a store robbery.
The pair’s attempt to open the cash register failed, so they fled with two 12-packs of beer.
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Shockingly, just days before this fatal incident, Cromartie had already shot and severely wounded another convenience store worker, Dan Wilson.
At the trial in 1997, both Clark and Thaddeus Lucas – a man who took the robbers to the convenience store – testified against Cromartie, leading to his conviction and the subsequent death penalty.
Throughout the proceedings, Cromartie vehemently denied being the shooter, claiming his innocence.
He even made last-minute requests for new DNA testing of the crime scene evidence, hoping it would exonerate him.
Slysz’s daughter, Elizabeth Legette, supported these requests, but they were sadly rejected by the US Supreme Court.
Despite Cromartie’s pleas and attempts to halt his execution, the day came in November 2019 when he faced lethal injection at the age of 52.
However, before his life came to an end, he made an unusual and elaborate request for his final meal.
The Georgia Department of Corrections disclosed that Cromartie’s last meal included a mouthwatering assortment of dishes.
He asked for a steak, lobster, macaroni and cheese, cube steak, rice and gravy, a steak and cheese sandwich, a double cheeseburger, crispy fries, ranch dressing, a strawberry milkshake, and the pièce de résistance – a layered cake with white icing.
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While some states impose financial limits on last meals, Georgia has been known to grant extravagant requests in the past.
So, Cromartie’s wish was fulfilled, and he savoured his culinary extravaganza before meeting his fate.
As the solemn hour approached, Cromartie declined the offer to share any final words.
However, he did allow a prayer to be recited on his behalf, bringing a moment of reflection before the inevitable.
Cromartie’s execution marked one of three carried out in the state of Georgia in 2019.
Scotty Garnell Morrow, aged 52, met the same fate in May, followed by Marion Wilson Jr., aged 42, in June.
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