Full Breakdown
Georgia Sets Execution Date for 2003 Double-Murder Convict
8/27/2026, 9:44:20 PM
Execution Scheduled for 2003 Double Murder Convict in Georgia
Georgia Department of Corrections officials announced that a lethal injection will be carried out at the state prison near Jackson in mid-September 2026 at 7 p.m. The inmate, Stacey Humphreys, 53, was convicted of malice murder for the 2003 killings of two real-estate agents in the Atlanta suburbs. He would be the first person executed in the state since the last execution in March 2024.
Background of the Case and Death-Penalty Litigation
Humphreys’ execution has been delayed repeatedly because of litigation tied to a pandemic-era agreement that many defense lawyers say temporarily shields death-row inmates from execution. He was originally slated for execution in December, but his lawyers successfully challenged the composition of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, arguing that two board members had conflicts of interest stemming from their roles during his trial.
Judicial and Board Actions
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney placed the execution on hold while reviewing the conflict claims. He ruled that board member Kimberly McCoy, then a victim-advocate with the Cobb County district attorney’s office, must recuse herself due to a “material conflict of interest.” He found that Wayne Bennett, the former Glynn County sheriff who oversaw juror security, had insufficient recollection of the trial to constitute a conflict. McBurney denied Humphreys’ request for a substitute board member and for a stay of his clemency hearing. The Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of that decision, and a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court remains pending.
Case Details and Evidence
The murders occurred on a November 2003 midday in a model-home sales office in Powder Springs, about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta. Victims were 33-year-old Cyndi Williams and 21-year-old Lori Brown. Court filings state that Humphreys forced the women to strip, obtained their bank PINs, and then shot them. He stole their driver’s licenses, credit cards, and withdrew more than $3,000 from their accounts. At the time, Humphreys was on parole for a 1993 felony theft conviction and had been released from prison 13 months earlier. Police linked a black Dodge Durango seen at the scene to Humphreys, recovered a Ruger 9 mm handgun matching the bullets, and matched blood on the gun and in his truck to the victims.
Pending Appeals and Upcoming Execution
After the state-level appeals were exhausted, Humphreys’ legal team filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, which has not yet ruled. Assuming no further intervention, the execution is expected to proceed in mid-September 2026, concluding a case that has spanned more than two decades.
