Gregg Braun was executed by the State of Oklahoma for the murder of Gwendolyn Sue Miller
According to court documents Gregg Braun would enter the Dodson’s Flower Shop in Ardmore Oklahoma and forced three women to lie on the ground and all were shot. Gwendolyn Sue Miller would die from her injuries
Gregg Braun during a multi state crime spree would also murder Barbara Kochendorfer, 27, and Mary Rains, 28, both of Garden City, Kansas. EP “Pete” Spurrier in Texas and Geraldine Valdez, 48, in New Mexico
Gregg Braun would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Gregg Braun would be executed by lethal injection on July 20 2000
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When Was Gregg Braun Executed
Gregg Braun was executed on July 20 2000
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Dusty Miller says when he watches the execution of his wife’s killer, he will be honoring the wedding vows he made to her for the final time. “I took an oath to love, honor and protect my wife. I wasn’t allowed to do it. Gregg Braun took that away from me. Making sure he pays for what he did — it’s the last thing I can do to honor those vows,” Miller said.
Barring an unforeseen stay of execution, Braun is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 12:01 a.m. Thursday for the 1989 slaying of Gwendolyn Sue Miller. The local florist was one of five victims who died during the Garden City, Kan., man’s five-day killing rampage that raged through four states. Two other women, JoAnn Beane, formerly of Ardmore, and Mary Manning, Marietta, were wounded but survived Braun’s murderous stop in Ardmore. Miller, who previously hesitated to discuss Braun’s pending execution, changed his mind Tuesday. “We were afraid we would jinx it. But the attorney general’s office has encouraged me to talk about it. Those who are trying to prevent it are talking,” Miller said.
Miller, his family and Manning will travel to Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester this afternoon. They will be joined by survivors of Braun’s other victims: Mary Rains and Barbara Kochendorfer, both Garden City; P.E. “Pete” Spurrier, Pampa, Texas; and Geraldine Valdez, Springer, N.M. The group will meet with members of the attorney general’s staff, who will brief them on the execution process. They will also tour the prison and some will give interviews. Braun asked to be served a last meal of a chef salad with Italian dressing, barbecue beef or pork and a hot fudge brownie sundae. He didn’t want his family to witness the execution. They planned to be in McAlester, however, for a memorial service at a local Catholic church, his father, Lelyn Braun said. About 11:30 p.m., Braun will be escorted into the execution chamber. Approximately 31 minutes later, the victims’ survivors and other witnesses will listen to any final words Braun might offer and watch as the State of Oklahoma takes his life in exchange for ending life of the 31-year-old Ardmore woman.
Miller doesn’t expect to hear apologies or words of remorse from Braun. “I haven’t heard from him in 11 years. He could sit and write letters to others, but not to us. Some say he has expressed remorse, but every time he has had an opportunity to say something publicly he has used it to wisecrack. At one point he told a reporter, ‘Tell your editor thanks for the publicity,’ That’s just like a slap in the face,” Miller said. “At this point I don’t care. I don’t need him to tell me he’s sorry now.”
While Braun has never attempted to contact any of the victims’ survivors, Miller said his family did receive a letter of regret and sympathy from the killer’s parents. Shortly after Braun was arrested, Miller started carrying a photograph of his wife’s murderer in his wallet. “I didn’t want to forget him. After the shock, the grief, anger and depression I finally got tired of being reminded. It got to the point where it wasn’t healthy anymore and I stopped,” he said. Now Miller says all he wants is justice. “I feel it (execution) needs to be done. It closes a chapter in our lives. It won’t be a complete closure, naturally we don’t have Gwen any more,” Miller said. “This person did not care for Gwen, her life or her future. He deserves to pay for what he did.”