Execution Report: Jasen Busby

Jasen Shane Busby, 28, was executed by lethal injection on 25 August 2004 in Huntsville, Texas for murdering two teenagers.

On 16 April 1995, Busby, then 19, and three friends spent the night in a trailer home in Antioch. Christopher Kelley, 19 was Busby's friend. Brandy Gray, 16, was Kelley's girlfriend. Tenille Thompson, 18, was Gray's cousin. The trailer home was owned by Thompson's stepfather. On the morning of 17 April, Busby drove Kelley's red pickup truck to buy donuts for the group. When he returned, he was accompanied by Darrell Smith. The group made trips to various places that day, including one where they shot Busby's parents' SKS semiautomatic rifle. They also purchased some marijuana.

At about 10:00 p.m., after smoking the pot, Busby and Smith walked outside. When Kelley opened the door of the mobile home to walk outside, Busby shot him in the neck. Busby then walked inside and shot Gray and Thompson. He then took money from Kelley's billfold and drove off in his truck with Smith. Kelley survived his wound, but the two girls died.

After Busby drove away, Kelley ran to a neighbor's house and asked for help. He reported that he and two others had been shot, and he described Busby and his truck to police. A police officer spotted the truck that night and arrested Busby and Smith. Busby had a clip of bullets in his pocket. He gave a confession, and Smith told police where to find the murder weapon, which Busby had discarded along the highway. Busby told police that he shot the teenagers because he was high on drugs, and that "the Devil made me do it."

Christopher Kelley testified at Busby's trial. He said that he heard someone outside talking about loading a gun. He opened the door to go out, and, at the same time, someone outside was opening it to go in. The next thing Kelley saw was the barrel of a gun, then he was shot and fell onto his back. He heard Brandy Gray scream, then another gunshot. Next, he heard Tenille Thompson beg for her life, then a third shot. Kelley testified that he recognized the assailant's voice as Busby's. He said that Busby walked over to him, poked him with the gun, and asked him if he was alright. Kelley did not respond. Busby then rolled Kelley over, taking his wallet, car keys, and cash. Kelley heard his truck start, crawled over to the door, and saw the taillights as the truck left.

A ballistics expert testified that the SKS rifle recovered from the highway was the same weapon used in the murders.

At Busby's trial and punishment hearing, the state presented dozens of letters Busby wrote from jail, in which he admitted to the killings and described them in detail. Busby also wrote that he did Gray a favor by killing her. In the letters, he also made threats against Kelley and the trial judge.

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