Georgia Set To Execute Man Who Shot, Killed Two Female Real Estate Agents In Powder Springs In 2003: State Has Not Carried Out An Execution Since 2024

Georgia prison officials have set a new execution date for death row inmate Stacey Humphreys, scheduling him to die by lethal injection on September 16, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

The execution will take place at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, marking the state’s first scheduled execution of the year.

Humphreys, 53, was convicted of malice murder for the brutal November 2003 shooting deaths of Cyndi Williams, 33, and Lori Brown, 21. The two victims were working as real estate agents inside a model home in Powder Springs when Humphreys robbed them, forced them to strip, and shot them execution-style.

Investigators found that Humphreys stole the women’s bank cards and PINs, using the stolen money to pay off high-interest loans before fleeing the state. He was eventually captured in Wisconsin following a high-speed police chase.

A History of Legal Delays

The upcoming execution comes after a series of significant legal battles that disrupted previous schedules:

Last-Minute Stay: Humphreys was originally scheduled for execution in December 2025. The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles granted an 11th-hour stay to review claims of juror misconduct and potential conflicts of interest among board members.

Pending Appeals: The Georgia Supreme Court recently declined to halt the upcoming September date. However, Humphreys’ defense team still has a critical petition pending before the U.S. Supreme Court in a final bid to block the lethal injection.

Final Preparations

As the execution date nears, the Georgia Department of Corrections released Humphreys’ final meal request today, September 9. His requested menu includes barbecue beef brisket, pork ribs, a bacon double cheeseburger, french fries, buffalo wings, a meat lovers pan pizza, butter pecan and peach ice cream, and two caffeine-free sodas.

Barring a final intervention by the nation’s highest court or a clemency grant from the parole board, the execution will proceed next week.

The First State Execution Since 2024

The last time Georgia executed someone was on March 20, 2024, when the state put Willie James Pye to death.

Pye, 59, was executed by lethal injection at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson. He had been convicted of murder, kidnapping, and rape in connection with the 1993 killing of his former girlfriend, Alicia Lynn Yarbrough.

His execution was significant because it was Georgia’s first execution in over four years. Prior to Pye, the state had paused executions following the January 2020 lethal injection of Donnie Lance, largely due to legal battles and complications stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.