Andrew Grant DeYoung
Andrew Grant DeYoung (May 12, 1974 – July 21, 2011) was executed[1] by the state of Georgia in H-5 of the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison (GDCP) in Jackson, Georgia for murder. DeYoung was 37 when he died. His last words were "I'm sorry to everyone I hurt. I love you Dawn. Remember to smile."
DeYoung was the first person to have one's execution videotaped in the United States in 19 years. The previous videotaped execution had been a gas chamber execution that took place in California. Because of this event, other states are now considering videotaping executions.[2] There is open discussion concerning whether or not making executions public would sway people to be more for or more against the death penalty.[3]
Murders
On October 13, 1995, Andrew DeYoung was convicted of the murders of his parents, Gary and Kathryn DeYoung, as well as his 14-year-old sister, Sarah. According to the prosecution, DeYoung killed his family in order to collect an inheritance from their estate, which DeYoung estimated to be worth approximately $480,000.
On June 14, 1993, Andrew repeatedly stabbed his mother, Kathryn, while she was sleeping. Awakened by her screams, Gary DeYoung struggled with Andrew before also being killed. Sarah was then stabbed to death in the hallway outside her parents' bedroom. An accomplice, David Michael Hagerty, had been assigned to kill Andrew's brother Nathan, but Nathan escaped through a bedroom window and ran to a neighbor's house for help.[4]
Interests
DeYoung was interested primarily in philosophy. He also spent time studying a variety of other topics, including mathematics (calculus, surreal math), the sciences (physics, astronomy, quantum mechanics), financial topics (investing, the economy), and politics. His favorite magazines were Discover and Inc.
Works about DeYoung
In April 2012, the book Knowing Andrew was published through Lulu Press. It chronicles DeYoung's life through a series of letters written over a span of 16 years. The letters began when DeYoung was in the Cobb County Jail awaiting trial, through his stay at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Center, and to his execution in July 2011.