ATLANTA — A man who was convicted of kidnapping, robbing, raping, and then killing a woman over 30 years ago is set to be executed this month — the first execution in Georgia since 2020.
Willie James Pye, 59, is scheduled to be executed at 7 p.m., March 20, in the murder of Alicia Lynn Yarborough, Attorney General Chris Carr announced Thursday.
A Spalding County Superior Court order filed Thursday established a seven-day window of noon, March 20, to noon, March 27, for the execution of Pye, Carr said.
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A person has not been executed in Georgia since Jan. 29, 2020, according to records from the Georgia Department of Corrections. Executions in Georgia are currently carried out at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson.
What We Know
Pye was convicted of murder in the 1992 killing of Yarbrough. He was involved in a “sporadic romantic relationship” with Yarbrough, who had moved in with another man when she was killed.
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Pye and two of his friends were accused of planning to rob the man after hearing the man had recently collected money from a lawsuit settlement.
“Pye was also angry because (the man) had signed the birth certificate of a child whom Pye claimed as his own,” Carr’s office said in a news release.
Authorities said the trio drove to Griffin, where Pye bought a “distinctive” 0.22 pistol in what Carr called a street transaction. Pye was later seen at a party with the pistol.
Once the party ended around midnight, Carr said Pye and his two friends drove to the man’s house after a witness heard Pye say, “It’s time, let’s do it.”
Pye bought ski masks for him and his friends to wear, while Pye and one of the friends wore gloves, Carr said.
They neared the man’s house on foot and noticed Yarbrough and her baby were home, Carr said.
“Pye tried to open a window, and Ms. Yarbrough saw him and…
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