Alabama Executes Convicted Robber After 24 Years
Introduction
On July 15, 1997, Geoffrey Todd West committed a senseless crime that would alter the lives of many. He robbed a gas station clerk and brutally took away a life for only $250. After 24 years, Alabama has finally executed him for his actions. This execution brings closure to the victim's family and the community.
Final Statement
In his final statement, West expressed remorse and apologized for the harm he caused. This apology may have brought some peace to the victim's family, but it will never bring back their loved one. The crime has left a permanent scar on those affected, and the execution may bring some closure, but it will never erase the pain.
Impact
This execution serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of senseless violence. It also highlights the importance of swift and just punishment for such crimes. It may also bring a sense of closure to the families of other victims who have been waiting for justice and closure for their loved ones.
About the People Mentioned
Geoffrey Todd West
Geoffrey Todd West was an American convicted murderer executed in Alabama in 2025 for a 1997 capital murder. On March 27, 1997, West and his girlfriend went to Harold’s Chevron, a convenience store where he had previously worked, intending to rob it. West, armed with a .45 caliber handgun, held the store clerk, Margaret Parrish Berry, at gunpoint, took $250 from the store’s cash, and fatally shot Berry in the back of the head while she was lying face-down behind the counter. He was convicted of capital murder on June 1, 1999, and sentenced to death following a jury recommendation of 10-2[1][2][3]. West spent more than two decades on death row before his execution by nitrogen hypoxia—breathing pure nitrogen gas to cause death by oxygen deprivation—at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama, on September 25, 2025. He was 50 years old at the time. This execution marked one of the first uses of nitrogen gas as a method in the United States, with Alabama being a pioneer state in this approach[1][2][3][6]. In interviews before his execution, West expressed regret for his crime, stating he struggled to understand his actions and wished he could take them back. He apologized privately to Berry’s family and spoke of seeking peace through his recent baptism and confirmation into the Catholic Church. Despite an appeal from Berry’s son for clemency and to deliver a message of forgiveness, the governor allowed the execution to proceed. West received visits from family, attorneys, and a spiritual advisor in his final hours and declined a special last meal but ate some offered food[2][3][4]. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall framed the execution as upholding justice and accountability, emphasizing the state's commitment to victims and communities. West's case remains notable for the use of nitrogen hypoxia and the complex dynamics surrounding capital punishment and forgiveness in Alabama[1][3][4].
