Man who set beloved Texas grandma on fire executed 13 years after her murder
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A Texas man was executed on Tuesday evening 13 years after brutally killing a beloved grandma when he set her on fire at a gas station. 

Matthew Johnson, 49, was convicted of the heinous murder of Nancy Harris, 76, a gas station clerk he doused with lighter fluid and set on fire during a 2012 robbery in Garland, TX. 

He was pronounced dead at 6:53 p.m. after giving a final statement.

“First and foremost, I would like to give all praises to God. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here on this Earth. I thank him for the life he has given me,” Johnson said. “To Mrs. Harris’ family, as I look at each and every one of you, I see her on that day. I just please ask for y’all’s forgiveness. I never meant to hurt her. I pray that she’s the first person that I see when I open my eyes, and I will spend eternity with her.”

Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville

Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville. (Google Maps)

“I hurt an innocent woman. I took a human being’s life. I was the cause of that. It was not my intentions to – to kill her or to hurt her, but I did,” said Johnson. 

During his sentencing, Johnson testified that he had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol during the robbery, claiming the lighter fluid was only meant to scare Harris, and he had no intention to kill her. 

Johnson tried to appeal his death sentence, but his attempts failed. 

Johnson’s execution will mark the fourth in the state this year and would bring the total number of executions in the U.S. to 18 so far this year. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

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