A man from Texas was executed on Thursday for the murder of his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter, which the couple claimed was part of an “exorcism” to rid the child of a demon. Blaine Milam, aged 35, was declared dead at 6:40 pm local time after receiving a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. He had been on death row for the killing of toddler Amora Rose in his East Texas trailer in December 2008.
In his final statement moments before his execution, Milam expressed gratitude to his supporters and the prison chaplaincy for their faith-based programs offered to death row inmates. He urged everyone to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior for a chance to meet again, saying, “I love you all. Bring me home, Jesus.”
As the sedative pentobarbital began to flow into his body, Milam made a brief noise before quietly snoring and eventually ceasing all movement. Minutes later, he was pronounced dead. The execution of Geoffrey West in Alabama also took place on the same evening, using nitrogen gas for fatally shooting a gas station employee during a robbery in 1997. These executions brought the total number of death sentences carried out in the U.S. this year to 33.
Milam had accused his then-girlfriend Jesseca Carson of the murder, alleging that she was the one who claimed the child was possessed by a demon. Carson was separately tried and sentenced to life in prison without parole for assisting Milam in the crime. Both individuals were 18 years old at the time.
Prosecutors revealed that Milam brutally assaulted the child, inflicting injuries such as biting, strangling, and mutilation over a 30-hour period. Evidence, including a pipe wrench, connected Milam to the murder. A forensic pathologist’s autopsy confirmed multiple skull fractures, broken limbs, ribs, and bite marks on the child, making it difficult to determine a specific cause of death due to the extensive fatal injuries.
Rusk County District Attorney Micheal Jimerson, who witnessed the execution, emphasized the importance of seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society. The child’s grandfather, Richard Mutina, also present at the execution, declined to comment to reporters afterward.
Milam’s execution marked the fifth in Texas this year, a state known for its high number of capital punishment cases. The Supreme Court’s denial of Milam’s final appeals led to the execution taking place.