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Killer's mom prays for his soul as he's executed
By Tom Beyerlein
Staff Writer
LUCASVILLE | Darrell Wayne "Gator" Ferguson's mother prayed a Christian prayer for his soul as Ferguson gave a Satanic salute with two fingers while he lay on the gurney before he was executed by lethal injection Tuesday morning.
Ferguson, 28, of Dayton was the fourth inmate executed in Ohio this year and the youngest person executed in Ohio in 44 years. He was pronounced dead at 10:21 a.m.
The triple murderer and Satanist's last statement focused on his family: "Mom and Dad, I love you both. I love you a lot and I wish you all the best." Wearing a white shirt, blue pants and dark-rimmed glasses, he looked straight up in the execution chamber.
When she first came into the witness room, his mother, Donna Davis, held hands and prayed with Ferguson's father, Clarence Vela, and stepfather Paul Yates. As she watched him on television before he came into the execution chamber, she said, "He's ready and I'm happy for him. No more chains, baby, no more handcuffs. It's done."
The victims' witnesses said nothing throughout. Although Davis' crying was audible, the others held hands and were quiet throughout.
Later, Davis said, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do, and he didn't know what he was doing."
Just before the curtain closed for the coroner to pronounce him dead, Donna Davis said twice, "I rebuke you, Satan, in the name of Jesus.
"Satan, you weren't as strong as you thought you were. All you did was make people suffer like you like to do. But you didn't get him. You didn't have the power to get him. Thank you, heavenly Father."
In 2001, Ferguson, a drug addict on Christmas leave from a rehabilitation center, killed three elderly or disabled East Dayton residents while robbing them for drug money. He has reveled in the evil of his acts, saying it thrilled him to stab, stomp and beat his victims.
Monday evening, Ferguson laughed and cried with his family, then stayed up all night talking to his executioners.
"The visit (with family) was sometimes emotional — there were some tears shed, some laughter," Ohio prisons spokeswoman Andrea Dean said. "They talked about his childhood, his decision to move forward with the execution."
Ferguson ate his entire "special meal" of three T-bone steaks, two breaded chicken breasts and chocolate ice cream, also downing some cherry pie during the night, Dean said.
He went to bed Monday at 8:57 p.m., but woke up 18 minutes later and spent the night talking to the execution team, drinking Mountain Dew and smoking Marlboros. He talked about music, sports, life on death row, his family and his decision to wave his appeals, Dean said.
Ferguson also talked about other inmates who have been executed, particularly Rocky Barton of Waynesville, who was put to death July 12 for murdering his wife. Ferguson knew Barton slightly from death row.
He slept from 4:43 to 5:22 Tuesday morning, then showered and had a final visit through cell bars with his mother, father and stepfathers Gary Davis and Yates.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2217 or tbeyer@coxohio.com This story also contains information provided by the Associated Press.
