A man convicted of murdering a Colbert County woman more than two decades ago was put to death at 6:41p.m. Thursday at Holman Prison in Atmore. John Forrest Parker was the first Shoals man to be executed by lethal injection in the state. Parker was convicted in the 1988 contract killing of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett, who was stabbed to death in her home.
Thursday, Parker's attorneys asked the US Supreme court for a last minute stay to halt the execution. That request was countered by the Alabama Attorney General's Office, who filed papers opposing the stay.
Before he served as the Colbert County Sheriff, Ronnie May was the lead investigator in this case. May says he has spoken to Sennett's family recently and hopes the execution will bring them some closure.
Just over 22 years ago, authorities found 45 year old Elizabeth Sennett's in her Cherokee home on Coon Dog Cemetery Road. Officials say Parker was hired, along with two other men, to kill her.
The state claimed Sennett's husband, Charles Sennett, a minister at the West Side Church of Christ in Sheffield was part of the crime.
"It was a very cruel and brutal decision made by one man to have his wife killed in a very brutal fashion," said May. "I guess that's what I keep thinking about is the impact that it's had on the sons and the family."
According to May, Parker beat Sennett with an iron rod and then repeatedly stabbed her to death in her home. Afterwards, authorities say they disposed of the weapon in a pond next to the home.
May hopes, after all this time, that Parker's execution will bring the family some relief.
"I know what they've had to go through," said May. "This hopefully will bring some closure for them so they at least feel like some form of justice has been done because of what was done to Mrs. Sennett."
Thursday, Parker's attorneys asked the US Supreme court for a last minute stay to halt the execution. That request was countered by the Alabama Attorney General's Office, who filed papers opposing the stay.
Before he served as the Colbert County Sheriff, Ronnie May was the lead investigator in this case. May says he has spoken to Sennett's family recently and hopes the execution will bring them some closure.
Just over 22 years ago, authorities found 45 year old Elizabeth Sennett's in her Cherokee home on Coon Dog Cemetery Road. Officials say Parker was hired, along with two other men, to kill her.
The state claimed Sennett's husband, Charles Sennett, a minister at the West Side Church of Christ in Sheffield was part of the crime.
"It was a very cruel and brutal decision made by one man to have his wife killed in a very brutal fashion," said May. "I guess that's what I keep thinking about is the impact that it's had on the sons and the family."
According to May, Parker beat Sennett with an iron rod and then repeatedly stabbed her to death in her home. Afterwards, authorities say they disposed of the weapon in a pond next to the home.
May hopes, after all this time, that Parker's execution will bring the family some relief.
"I know what they've had to go through," said May. "This hopefully will bring some closure for them so they at least feel like some form of justice has been done because of what was done to Mrs. Sennett."
