Kimberly McCarthy
Serial Killer Execution Case
CLASSIFICATION: Murder
LOCATION
Lancaster, Texas
TIME PERIOD
1997
VICTIMS
1 confirmed
Kimberly LaGayle McCarthy was convicted of the capital murder of 71-year-old Dorothy Booth on July 21, 1997, in Booth's home in Lancaster, Texas, during a robbery. McCarthy, motivated by her addiction to crack cocaine, stabbed Booth multiple times, beat her with a candelabrum, and stole her wedding ring, purse, and car. Following her arrest, DNA evidence linked McCarthy to Booth's murder, and she was charged the day after the crime. Despite maintaining her innocence, McCarthy was executed by lethal injection on June 26, 2013, after her final appeals were denied, marking her as the 500th person executed in Texas by that method.
Many believe McCarthy was a serial killer, as blood DNA evidence linked her to the murders of two additional elderly women, suggesting a pattern of targeting vulnerable victims. Some speculate that her crimes were driven by her addiction to cocaine, leading her to commit robbery and murder to support her habit. Despite her conviction, McCarthy maintained her innocence, claiming she was framed for the murder of Dorothy Booth.
The Tragic Path of Kimberly McCarthy: A True Crime Narrative
Early Life and Descent
Born in the small town of Greenville, Texas, on May 11, 1961, Kimberly LaGayle McCarthy seemed destined for a life far removed from the dark path she would ultimately tread. She built a career as an occupational therapist, dedicating her time to helping those in need at a nursing home. However, beneath this veneer of normalcy, McCarthy's life spiraled downward, largely due to her destructive addiction to crack cocaine. This addiction would come to define her adulthood, leading her into a string of criminal activities, including convictions for forgery in 1990, prostitution, and theft of services.
Her personal life was equally turbulent. Married to Aaron Michaels from 1993 to 1996, the union produced one son before ending in divorce. As McCarthy's addiction deepened, it drove her to further desperation, culminating in a series of heinous crimes that would shock the Dallas-Fort Worth area and, eventually, the nation.
The Crime: A Bloody Encounter
On a seemingly ordinary day, July 21, 1997, McCarthy made a fateful phone call to her neighbor, 71-year-old Dorothy Booth, a retired psychology professor from El Centro College. Pretending to need sugar, McCarthy gained entry into Booth's Lancaster, Texas home. But her intentions were far from innocent. According to prosecutors, McCarthy visited Booth not for neighborly camaraderie, but to rob her.
Once inside, the scene turned gruesome. McCarthy attacked Booth with a butcher knife, stabbing her five times. Not content with this brutality, she proceeded to bludgeon Booth with a candelabrum and, in a final act of defilement, cut off Booth's finger to steal her diamond wedding ring. The carnage did not end there; McCarthy stole Booth's purse and Mercedes-Benz, which she later used to purchase crack cocaine by pawning the ring.
The day following this horrific murder, McCarthy was apprehended and charged. The evidence against her was damning: she had used Booth's credit cards at a liquor store, held Booth's driver's license, and, most incriminating of all, Booth's DNA was discovered on the murder weapon found at McCarthy's home.
Trial and Convictions
In 1998, a Dallas County jury found McCarthy guilty of murdering Dorothy Booth. During the sentencing, prosecutors introduced additional evidence linking McCarthy to the murders of two elderly women in December 1988: Maggie Harding, aged 81, and Jettie Lucas, aged 85. Although blood DNA evidence tied her to these crimes, McCarthy was never formally charged with these murders. These additional allegations painted a chilling portrait of McCarthy's criminal activities, which spanned nearly a decade, from 1988 to 1997.
On November 24, 1998, McCarthy received a death sentence by lethal injection for the murder of Booth. However, in 2001, she successfully appealed her conviction, only to be retried and re-sentenced to death on November 1, 2002.
The Road to Execution
McCarthy's legal team fought tirelessly, but her final federal appeal was denied in July 2012. In a desperate attempt to save her life, her attorneys petitioned the United States Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari, which was denied in January 2013. Her execution was initially scheduled for January 29, 2013, but a last-minute reprieve delayed her fate. The execution was rescheduled for April 3, 2013, and then once more postponed to June 26, 2013, due to interventions by the Dallas County district attorney.
Final Moments
On June 26, 2013, Kimberly McCarthy met her end at the Huntsville Unit in Huntsville, Texas. Her execution marked a grim milestone, as she became the 500th person executed by lethal injection in Texas since the state reinstated the death penalty in 1976. Notably, she was the first woman executed in the United States in nearly three years.
As the lethal dose of pentobarbital coursed through her veins, McCarthy's last words reflected a sense of peace: "This is not a loss. This is a win. You know where I'm going. I'm going home to be with Jesus. Keep the faith. I love you all." She was pronounced dead at 6:37 p.m. CDT, 20 minutes after the procedure began. McCarthy was laid to rest at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of tragedy and lost potential.
Sources
For more on Kimberly McCarthy's case, visit the Wikipedia article.
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Murder of Dorothy Booth
Kimberly McCarthy murders her neighbor, Dorothy Booth, during a robbery.
McCarthy Charged
Kimberly McCarthy is charged with the murder of Dorothy Booth.
Sentenced to Death
McCarthy is sentenced to death for the murder of Dorothy Booth.
Re-sentenced to Death
After a retrial, McCarthy is re-sentenced to death.
Final Appeal Denied
McCarthy's final federal appeal is denied.
Execution Date Set
McCarthy's execution date is set for January 29, 2013, but is later postponed.
Executed by Lethal Injection
Kimberly McCarthy is executed by lethal injection, becoming the 500th person executed in Texas.
Kimberly LaGayle McCarthy was convicted of the capital murder of 71-year-old Dorothy Booth on July 21, 1997, in Booth's home in Lancaster, Texas, during a robbery. McCarthy, motivated by her addiction to crack cocaine, stabbed Booth multiple times, beat her with a candelabrum, and stole her wedding ring, purse, and car. Following her arrest, DNA evidence linked McCarthy to Booth's murder, and she was charged the day after the crime. Despite maintaining her innocence, McCarthy was executed by lethal injection on June 26, 2013, after her final appeals were denied, marking her as the 500th person executed in Texas by that method.
Many believe McCarthy was a serial killer, as blood DNA evidence linked her to the murders of two additional elderly women, suggesting a pattern of targeting vulnerable victims. Some speculate that her crimes were driven by her addiction to cocaine, leading her to commit robbery and murder to support her habit. Despite her conviction, McCarthy maintained her innocence, claiming she was framed for the murder of Dorothy Booth.
The Tragic Path of Kimberly McCarthy: A True Crime Narrative
Early Life and Descent
Born in the small town of Greenville, Texas, on May 11, 1961, Kimberly LaGayle McCarthy seemed destined for a life far removed from the dark path she would ultimately tread. She built a career as an occupational therapist, dedicating her time to helping those in need at a nursing home. However, beneath this veneer of normalcy, McCarthy's life spiraled downward, largely due to her destructive addiction to crack cocaine. This addiction would come to define her adulthood, leading her into a string of criminal activities, including convictions for forgery in 1990, prostitution, and theft of services.
Her personal life was equally turbulent. Married to Aaron Michaels from 1993 to 1996, the union produced one son before ending in divorce. As McCarthy's addiction deepened, it drove her to further desperation, culminating in a series of heinous crimes that would shock the Dallas-Fort Worth area and, eventually, the nation.
The Crime: A Bloody Encounter
On a seemingly ordinary day, July 21, 1997, McCarthy made a fateful phone call to her neighbor, 71-year-old Dorothy Booth, a retired psychology professor from El Centro College. Pretending to need sugar, McCarthy gained entry into Booth's Lancaster, Texas home. But her intentions were far from innocent. According to prosecutors, McCarthy visited Booth not for neighborly camaraderie, but to rob her.
Once inside, the scene turned gruesome. McCarthy attacked Booth with a butcher knife, stabbing her five times. Not content with this brutality, she proceeded to bludgeon Booth with a candelabrum and, in a final act of defilement, cut off Booth's finger to steal her diamond wedding ring. The carnage did not end there; McCarthy stole Booth's purse and Mercedes-Benz, which she later used to purchase crack cocaine by pawning the ring.
The day following this horrific murder, McCarthy was apprehended and charged. The evidence against her was damning: she had used Booth's credit cards at a liquor store, held Booth's driver's license, and, most incriminating of all, Booth's DNA was discovered on the murder weapon found at McCarthy's home.
Trial and Convictions
In 1998, a Dallas County jury found McCarthy guilty of murdering Dorothy Booth. During the sentencing, prosecutors introduced additional evidence linking McCarthy to the murders of two elderly women in December 1988: Maggie Harding, aged 81, and Jettie Lucas, aged 85. Although blood DNA evidence tied her to these crimes, McCarthy was never formally charged with these murders. These additional allegations painted a chilling portrait of McCarthy's criminal activities, which spanned nearly a decade, from 1988 to 1997.
On November 24, 1998, McCarthy received a death sentence by lethal injection for the murder of Booth. However, in 2001, she successfully appealed her conviction, only to be retried and re-sentenced to death on November 1, 2002.
The Road to Execution
McCarthy's legal team fought tirelessly, but her final federal appeal was denied in July 2012. In a desperate attempt to save her life, her attorneys petitioned the United States Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari, which was denied in January 2013. Her execution was initially scheduled for January 29, 2013, but a last-minute reprieve delayed her fate. The execution was rescheduled for April 3, 2013, and then once more postponed to June 26, 2013, due to interventions by the Dallas County district attorney.
Final Moments
On June 26, 2013, Kimberly McCarthy met her end at the Huntsville Unit in Huntsville, Texas. Her execution marked a grim milestone, as she became the 500th person executed by lethal injection in Texas since the state reinstated the death penalty in 1976. Notably, she was the first woman executed in the United States in nearly three years.
As the lethal dose of pentobarbital coursed through her veins, McCarthy's last words reflected a sense of peace: "This is not a loss. This is a win. You know where I'm going. I'm going home to be with Jesus. Keep the faith. I love you all." She was pronounced dead at 6:37 p.m. CDT, 20 minutes after the procedure began. McCarthy was laid to rest at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of tragedy and lost potential.
Sources
For more on Kimberly McCarthy's case, visit the Wikipedia article.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Murder of Dorothy Booth
Kimberly McCarthy murders her neighbor, Dorothy Booth, during a robbery.
McCarthy Charged
Kimberly McCarthy is charged with the murder of Dorothy Booth.
Sentenced to Death
McCarthy is sentenced to death for the murder of Dorothy Booth.
Re-sentenced to Death
After a retrial, McCarthy is re-sentenced to death.
Final Appeal Denied
McCarthy's final federal appeal is denied.
Execution Date Set
McCarthy's execution date is set for January 29, 2013, but is later postponed.
Executed by Lethal Injection
Kimberly McCarthy is executed by lethal injection, becoming the 500th person executed in Texas.