The state of Tennessee executed Byron Black, 69, by lethal injection on Tuesday morning, marking its second execution of the year. Black was convicted in 1989 for the murders of his ex-girlfriend Angela Clay, 29, and her daughters Latoya, nine, and Lakeisha, six, in South Nashville.
He was pronounced dead at 10:43 am at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Media witnesses reported that Black showed signs of distress in his final moments, groaning and expressing pain. “It’s hurting so bad,” he told his spiritual advisor, who responded: “I’m so sorry.”
Black’s case drew national attention in recent weeks due to concerns about a medical device implanted in his chest. His attorneys argued that the device, a defibrillator designed to regulate heart rhythm, could deliver painful shocks during the execution. Courts ultimately allowed the procedure to proceed without deactivating the device.
Black was also diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and dementia, and advocates argued he would not be eligible for the death penalty under current standards. Nonetheless, the Tennessee Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene, and Gov. Bill Lee also denied clemency.
Black left no final words but gave a message to his attorney expressing love for his family and gratitude to his legal team. He received a final meal of pizza with mushrooms and sausage, donuts, and butter pecan ice cream.
Outside the prison, protesters and supporters gathered quietly. Some victim family members said the execution brought long-awaited closure. “Thirty-seven years is too long,” said Linette Bell, Angela Clay’s sister. “He never apologized, even on his dying bed.”
The murders occurred in 1988 while Black was on work release for shooting Clay’s estranged husband. His execution follows the May 2025 execution of Oscar Franklin Smith, resuming capital punishment in Tennessee after a five-year pause.
