COLUMBIA, S.C. — A man convicted of two brutal murders, one linked to Augusta, is set to be executed by lethal injection on Friday. Stephen Stanko, 57, is facing death for a 2005 crime spree that left two victims dead, including his girlfriend and a 74-year-old friend, Henry Turner.
The crimes unfolded over a single day when Stanko initially attacked his girlfriend in Georgetown County. In a chilling act, he strangled her while also assaulting her teenage daughter, whom he subsequently slashed but did not kill. Hours later, he made his way to Turner’s home in Horry County and murdered the elderly man, using a pillow as a silencer before stealing his truck and draining his bank account.
Following the killings, Stanko fled to Augusta, where he boasted to festival-goers about owning Hooters franchises. His time in the city ended when a woman who took him in recognized him from media reports and alerted authorities, leading to his arrest.
Stanko’s execution marks the sixth in South Carolina within the last nine months and is one of four executions scheduled nationwide this week. In a notable twist, Stanko briefly considered opting for the state’s newly reinstated firing squad, but concerns regarding a recent execution using that method led him to choose lethal injection instead.
Legal efforts to halt his execution include an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which came after a federal judge declined to intervene. Stanko’s lawyers argue that the state has mishandled lethal injections in past executions, referencing autopsy findings related to inmates’ deaths. Additionally, Governor Henry McMaster could still grant clemency, but his decision typically comes only moments before an execution.
Stanko’s execution is set for 6 p.m. at a prison in Columbia. Historically, governors in South Carolina have refrained from sparing inmates on death row in the past 48 cases since the death penalty was reinstated nearly five decades ago.
As he prepares for execution, Stanko will be strapped to a gurney in the death chamber, where a nurse will insert an IV line before witnesses enter the room. The process begins with an administration of pentobarbital, a potent sedative. Observers have previously reported that inmates in South Carolina have shown signs of distress during the procedure, including erratic breathing and audible gasps before losing consciousness.
Stanko’s past has drawn sharp criticism. During his trial, former prosecutor Greg Hembree described him as “plain evil,” emphasizing that Stanko embraced his dark nature rather than shying away from it. Following the trial, Hembree became a state senator and played a significant role in introducing legislation that enables the use of firing squads for executions.
As the clock ticks down to Stanko’s execution, the community reflects on the heinous nature of his crimes and the complex legal discussions surrounding the death penalty in South Carolina. With each execution, the conversation around capital punishment continues to evolve, but for Stanko, his final chapter is set to unfold as the state turns to conclude a long and harrowing legal saga.