Utah Executes Taberon Honie for 1998 Murder

Utah executed Taberon Dave Honie, 48, by lethal injection for the 1998 murder of Claudia Benn, his then-girlfriend's mother. This marked Utah's first execution since 2010 and the state's eighth since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Honie, who was convicted of aggravated murder, burglary, and sexual assault, had his execution carried out after final appeals and requests for clemency were denied by the Board of Pardons and Governor Spencer Cox. Benn's family expressed relief and a sense of justice, while Honie's final words emphasized change and healing. Honie's last meal was a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake, and he spent his final day visiting with family members and participating in spiritual ceremonies. The execution was conducted using a lethal injection protocol involving ketamine, fentanyl, and potassium chloride.