USA - Missouri. Dennis Skillicorn, 49, white, was executed

Dennis Skillicorn, 49, white, was executed early this morning at the state's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center at Bonne Terre. Prior to today, Missouri hadn't carried out an execution since October 2005. Skillicorn was sentenced to death in 1996 for the 1994 murder of Richard Drummond, who picked up Skillicorn and 2 other men after their car broke down in central Missouri. Skillicorn and Allen Nicklasson continued their crime spree in Arizona, where they killed another man and his wife after the man attempted to help them with car troubles. Nicklasson, who actually pulled the trigger in the 3 murders, remains on death row. The 3rd accomplice, Tim DeGraffenreid, was 17 when he participated in the Missouri murder and is now serving a life sentence. Skillicorn was on parole for another murder at the time Drummond was kidnapped, robbed and killed. Skillicorn pleaded guilty and received 2 life sentences in the Arizona killings. Nicklasson is also on death row in Missouri. DeGraffenreid pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder and was sent to an undisclosed prison. Skillicorn becomes the 1st condemned inmate to be put to death this year in Missouri and the 67th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1989. Skillicorn becomes the 29th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1165th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977.