On Thursday (September 25), Texas executed Blaine Milam, 35, for the 2008 murder of 13-month-old Amora Carson, his girlfriend's daughter, during a 30-hour "exorcism." The execution took place at 6:40 p.m. at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, marking the fifth execution in Texas this year.

Milam was convicted of brutally killing the toddler in his trailer in Rusk County, east of Dallas. Prosecutors described the crime as involving severe physical abuse, including beatings with a hammer, strangulation, and mutilation, resulting in skull fractures, broken bones, and bite marks on the child. Milam maintained his innocence, claiming his then-girlfriend, Jesseca Carson, believed the child was possessed, and he followed her lead. Carson was also convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole.

Milam's execution was delayed twice, in 2019 and 2021, as courts reviewed his appeals, which focused on his intellectual disability and the use of discredited bite-mark evidence during his trial. However, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled the execution should proceed, and the Board of Pardons and Paroles denied his clemency request. The U.S. Supreme Court also denied his application for a stay of execution, which cited unreliable forensic evidence and updates to DNA testimony.

In his final statement, Milam expressed gratitude to his supporters and the prison chaplaincy, urging people to accept Jesus Christ. "If any of you would like to see me again, I implore all of you, no matter who you are, to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and we will meet again," he said. He was pronounced dead after a lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered.

Milam appeared anxious before his execution and mentioned having a headache. His trial was moved to Montgomery County due to intense publicity. Texas remains the nation's leading death penalty state, with Milam's execution being one of several scheduled for this year.

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