The Unspoken End: Killer's Stony Silence Before Death Chamber

In the quiet, stark finality of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, Michael Dewayne Smith, a man condemned for the horrific murders of two women, took his last breath on Thursday morning. His execution, carried out by lethal injection, was marked by an unsettling, unwavering silence that endured until the very end.

Smith, 41, offered no final words, no plea, no expression of remorse as the execution procedure commenced at 10:00 AM.

His eyes, though scanning the room briefly, settled into a vacant stare, reflecting nothing but an impenetrable resolve. This stony demeanor mirrored his consistent denial of gang affiliation, a central element in the prosecution's argument that the slayings were an act of retaliation.

The victims, Janet Moore, 40, and Sharath Pulluru, 22, were tragically killed in separate attacks during February 2002.

Prosecutors had meticulously built a case suggesting Smith believed Moore had called the police on his gang, leading to her brutal shooting. Pulluru, a store clerk, was then shot and killed during a robbery Smith committed to divert attention from Moore's murder, according to court documents.

Throughout his appeals, Smith vehemently maintained his innocence, particularly regarding the alleged gangland motive.

His defense team argued that compelling new evidence, including an affidavit from another inmate who claimed responsibility for Moore's murder, should have been considered. However, both state and federal courts rejected these claims, upholding his conviction.

Witnessing the execution were members of Smith’s own family, alongside representatives of the victims’ families.

For the loved ones of Janet Moore and Sharath Pulluru, Smith’s death represented a long-awaited closure, a final chapter in a painful journey for justice. Following the execution, a spokesperson for Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed hope that the victims’ families could finally find a measure of peace.

Smith's execution marked the first in Oklahoma this year and the twelfth since the state resumed capital punishment in October 2021, following a six-year hiatus prompted by concerns over lethal injection protocols.

The resumption has seen a steady, albeit somber, progression of executions, each bringing a stark reminder of the gravity of the crimes and the justice sought by their victims.

As the curtains closed on Michael Dewayne Smith's life, his silence became his lasting statement, leaving behind only the cold facts of the crimes he committed and the profound impact on the lives he so cruelly cut short.