RESPECTING THE ELDERLY: HAROLD LYON MCELMURRY III (EXECUTED IN OKLAHOMA ON JULY 29, 2003)

            On this date, July 29, 2003, Harold Loyd McElmurry III was executed for the murders of an elderly couple on August 2, 1999. He needed a suicide assist and he gave himself up to be put to death. I will post the information from clarkprosecutor.org.

 

Harold Loyd McElmurry III

INTERNET SOURCE: http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/mcelmurry870.htm

Summary: A World War II veteran and a paraplegic, 80 year old Robert Pendley and his wife were stabbed and beaten to death outside their home by McElmurry and his wife. Some weeks before they died, the couple hired a man to clear some land so they could see the sunset better. At one point the man came to work along with two people who had been living with him, Harold and Vickie McElmurry. The Pendleys put them to work as well. Several weeks after the work was done, the McElmurrys returned. After spending two days walking through the woods to reach the Pendley home, they visited with the elderly couple, then retreated to the woods. According to McElmurry, he and his wife "shot up" with methamphetamine while trying to decide whether to rob and kill the Pendleys or simply rob them. They returned to the home, finding the elderly couple in the garage. While Vickie McElmurry lured Vivian Pendley away, Harold McElmurry attacked Robert Pendley, stabbing him multiple times with a pair of scissors before beating him with garden instruments and a pipe.Vivian Pendley was also beaten and stabbed to death by McElmurry while his wife held her. The McElmurrys fled with two pistols, $70 cash and the Pendleys' 12-year-old Oldsmobile, crossing the border into Mexico for several days. They were captured when crossing back into the United States near Laredo, Texas, and returned to Oklahoma. McElmurry had prior 1998 convictions for Grand Larceny and Receiving Stolen Property. He waived all appeals of his death sentence. Accomplice Vicki McElmurry was also convicted and sentenced to life in prison. 

Citations:
McElmurry v. State, 60 P.3d 4 (Okla.Crim.App. 2002). 

Final Meal:
Canadian bacon pizza, a pint of chicken livers, cottage cheese and one raw white onion. 

Final Words:
"I'd like to say I'm sorry to the Pendleys. I hope they can forgive me." 

Internet Sources:

Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Inmate: Harold Loyd McElmurry III
ODOC#: 261500
FBI#: 714897LB6
Birthdate: 06/01/1970
Race: White
Sex: Male
Height: 5 ft. 11 in
Weight: 150 pounds
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Location: Oklahoma State Penitentiary, Mcalester 

The DeathHouse.Com

"Oklahoma Executes Killer of Elderly Couple." (July 29, 2003) 

McAlester, Okla. - A man who murdered an elderly couple who once hired him to do lawn work and odd jobs was executed by lethal injection at the state prison Tuesday night. Harold McElmurry became the 14th convicted killer put to death in Oklahoma in 2003 - second only to Texas in executions for the year. He also became the 50th condemned killer put to death in the United States in 2003. 

The victims, Rosa Vivien Pendley, 75, and Robert Pendley, 80, lived in Eufaula. Robert Pendley was a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair. "I'd like to say I'm sorry to the Pendleys," McElmurry said in his last statment. "I hope they can forgive me." The lethal injection of chemicals began at 6:04 p.m. and McElmurry was pronounced dead at 6:06 p.m. For his last meal, McElmurry requested a medium pizza with Canadian bacon, a pint of chicken livers, cottage cheese and a white onion, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections stated. 

Killed With Scissors And Pipe 

The murders occurred Aug. 2, 1999. The Pendleys were stabbed with scissors and their heads smashed in with a pipe. Harold McElmurry confessed to the murders. McElmurry's wife, Vicki, was sentenced to life in prison for her part in the slayings. Court documents stated that the couple had previously done yard work for the Pendleys. Harold McElmurry had talked of robbing and murdering the couple. He believed he was about to be arrested for a probation violation, court documents stated, and would be sent back to prison. 

Long Walk For Murder 

The murderous couple actually walked two days to get to the home of the Pendleys, court documents stated. Outside the Pendley's home, the couple spent several hours discussing the murders. "I wanted to kill them but I didn't feel right about it," Harold McElmurry was quoted as stating in court documents. "I didn't care for Vivien much, but I liked Robert. Robert was real nice to me." McElmurry also stated that he and his wife injected methamphetamines while outside discussing the robbery and murders before returning to the Pendley home to slaughter the couple. Used Pipe To Finish Victims In his written statement to investigators, Harold McElmurry said he first killed Robert, using a scissors to repeatedly stab him in the chest and a hoe to strike him in the head. He later used a pipe to smash his head after discovering that Robert was still alive. As for Rosa Pendley, she was stabbed while Vicki McElmurry held her. She was also struck with a pipe. The couple stole $70, costume jewelry, the Pendley's car and a pistol. They fled to Texas and then to Mexico. The couple were arrested when they crossed the border back into the United States on Aug. 5, 1999. Harold McElmurry had previous convictions for grand larceny and concealing stolen property.