A woman convicted of killing a pregnant woman and stealing her baby made a chilling final statement before receiving a lethal injection. Lisa Montgomery, aged 36 at the time, had traveled to meet Bobbie Jo Stinnett, a 23-year-old acquaintance she had met online due to their mutual interest in dogs. Bobbie, who was eight months pregnant, was a dog breeder expecting her first child.
Claiming to be interested in buying a puppy, Montgomery gained access to Bobbie’s home where she then committed the brutal murder. Montgomery, a mother of four, strangled Bobbie to death with a rope before cutting out the unborn child with a kitchen knife in an attempt to pass the baby off as her own. The incident occurred in Skidmore, Missouri, and the following day, Montgomery was apprehended as Bobbie’s body was found. The newborn was safely returned to her family and raised by her father.
Following a trial, Montgomery was found guilty of murder and kidnapping, leading to her placement on death row. In 2021, at the age of 52, she was executed by lethal injection in Terre Haute, Indiana. When asked for any final words, Montgomery simply responded with “no.”
The circumstances of Montgomery’s life came to light after her arrest. She had endured sexual abuse from a young age, with her stepfather subjecting her to regular beatings and rape. Reports revealed that her childhood was marked by extreme abuse, including being isolated in a room built by her stepfather where she suffered further abuses from various individuals.
Experts emphasized that Montgomery’s actions were a result of severe mental illness stemming from a lifetime of torture and violence. Her execution, the first of a woman by the US government in 70 years, sparked discussions about understanding the psychological impact of prolonged trauma on individuals.
Despite the controversial nature of her case, Montgomery’s abusers were never held accountable for their actions, leaving her tragic story open to ongoing debate and scrutiny.