Keith Edmund Gavin was executed by lethal injection on Thursday evening of this week (July 18th, 2024). His time of death was listed at 6:32pm.
The 64-year-old was put to death for the March 1998 murder of William “Bill” Clayton Jr., who was gunned down near an ATM in Centre, while getting cash to take his wife on a date that evening.
Gavin’s execution was set for 6:00pm – and it happened at the scheduled time – after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case at around 5:15 that afternoon. That denial, came after he had filed a handwritten appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday evening, challenging a state judge’s dismissal of his motion to stay that execution – because the judge would not waive those filing fees – finding that Gavin had enough money in his prison account.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall commented on the execution, sending a statement to the media: “There is no doubt about Gavin’s guilt for this heinous offense. In 1998, Gavin was identified by four witnesses, including his own cousin – for walking up to a Corporate Express van just outside Regions Bank ,where he shot and killed driver – William Clayton; he then stole the van – and he left with the victim as Clayton’s life slipped away.”
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said, among other things – “After receiving a death sentence, Gavin appealed time after time for years to avoid justice, but failed at every attempt – and that justice was finally delivered for Mr. Clayton’s loved ones.”
Gavin committed that fatal shooting while on parole for another Murder, in Illinois.
Cherokee County Circuit Court Judge Shaunathan Bell, on July 10th, ruled that Gavin had more than enough money in his prison account to pay the filing fee and denied his request. The judge also dismissed Gavin’s motion for a stay.