Texas Executes 600th Prisoner After Legal Battles Over Disability Claims

Texas has now carried out 600 executions since 1982. This latest execution happened after a legal fight over the prisoner's mental state.
By Newsroom | Crime, Texas |

Edward Busby was put to death Thursday evening in Texas, marking the state's 600th execution since 1982. The execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a stay of execution previously granted by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. This stay was intended to allow for further review of Busby's claims of intellectual disability.

The execution of Edward Busby, convicted in the 2004 killing of retired TCU professor Laura Lee Crane, highlights a protracted legal struggle over intellectual disability claims in capital punishment cases. The Texas Attorney General's Office successfully pushed for the execution to move forward, leading to the Supreme Court's intervention. Busby's attorneys had sought to pause the execution to delve deeper into his intellectual capacity.

Busby's final words expressed remorse: "I never meant anything bad to happen to her." He stated, "I’ll take the blame if that helps," and suggested his presence on death row was "the will of God." He also urged a sister present to "pick up your cross."

Read More: Visakhapatnam Man Kills Woman, Hides Body Parts in Fridge

District Attorney's Office Shifts Stance on Intellectual Disability

The Tarrant County District Attorney's office had previously recommended reducing Busby's sentence to life in prison. However, in a statement Wednesday, the office asserted that under current law, they believed Busby was not intellectually disabled, prompting their request for the Thursday execution date.

Critics, such as Abraham Bonowitz, executive director of Death Penalty Action, have decried the attorney general's efforts. Bonowitz specifically criticized the push for execution without a full review of the merits of Busby's intellectual disability claims.

The Crime and Victim

Laura Lee Crane, a retired professor and director emeritus of TCU's Starpoint School, was abducted in February 2004 outside a Fort Worth grocery store. Her body was discovered days later in Davis, Oklahoma. An autopsy revealed she died from asphyxiation, her mouth covered with duct tape, and she was forced into the trunk of her car. Crane was recognized for her work on reading programs for students with learning difficulties.

Read More: Donald Gibb 'Ogre' Actor Dies at 71 in Texas

The legal proceedings leading to Busby's execution have been ongoing, with execution dates set and challenged over several months in late 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why was Edward Busby executed in Texas on Thursday?
Edward Busby was executed in Texas on Thursday evening. This was the state's 600th execution since 1982. The Supreme Court allowed the execution to go ahead after a legal stay was overturned.
Q: What legal issues were raised before Edward Busby's execution?
Busby's lawyers argued he was intellectually disabled and asked for more time to prove it. The Tarrant County District Attorney's office changed its mind, saying he did not meet the legal standard for intellectual disability.
Q: Who was Laura Lee Crane and how was she killed?
Laura Lee Crane was a retired TCU professor. She was abducted in February 2004 and found dead days later in Oklahoma. She died from not being able to breathe, with her mouth taped shut and forced into her car's trunk.
Q: What did Edward Busby say before he was executed?
Busby expressed regret for what happened to Laura Lee Crane. He said he would take the blame and that his execution was 'the will of God'. He also told a sister present to 'pick up your cross'.