Oklahoma inmate executed for 1994 murder

<br>(McAlester-AP) -- A man convicted of the 1994 beating death of a Lawton woman was executed Thursday evening. <br><br>Jackie Lee Willingham was pronounced dead at 6:09 PM after receiving a lethal injection

Thursday, July 24th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(McAlester-AP) -- A man convicted of the 1994 beating death of a Lawton woman was executed Thursday evening.

Jackie Lee Willingham was pronounced dead at 6:09 PM after receiving a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. He's the 13th death-row inmate to be executed in Oklahoma this year.

Willingham was convicted of beating Jayne Van Wey to death in her office bathroom after she refused to buy perfume from him. Willingham was working as a traveling perfume salesman at the time.

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had recommended clemency for Willingham. Governor Henry turned down the request. The US Supreme Court also refused to stay the execution.

Prosecutors say Willingham followed Van Wey into the women's bathroom, yanked her off the toilet and beat her. Autopsy reports indicate she suffocated when her lungs filled with blood.