Utah death row inmate who branded himself 'monster' executed for 1998 slashing of ex-lover's mother

Utah death row inmate Taberon Honie has been executed for the 1998 slashing of his ex-girlfriend's mother.

Honie, who branded himself 'a monster' , asked the parole board to commute his sentence to life in prison, saying he would never have killed 49-year-old Claudia Benn after a day of heavy drinking and drug use had he been in his “right mind.”

Benn’s family urged the parole board to allow him to be executed , saying they have been devastated by their loss. They described Benn as a pillar in their family and southwestern Utah community — a tribal member, substance abuse counselor and caregiver for her children and grandchildren.

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Honie, who had a volatile relationship with Benn’s daughter, broke into the victim’s house in Cedar City, the tribal headquarters of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, on July 9, 1998. He repeatedly slashed her throat and then stabbed her. Benn’s grandchildren, including Honie’s 2-year-old daughter, were in the house at the time.

Honie was convicted in 1999 of aggravated murder. The judge who sentenced him to death found that Honie had sexually abused one of the children, one of the aggravating factors used to reach that decision.

While acknowledging his heinous crime in which is killed is ex-girlfriend's mother 25 years ago, Honie asked for mercy -claiming he has always taken responsibility and is sorry for the life he took. The decision regarding the fate of Taberon Dave Honie, who is scheduled to die by lethal injection was announced in a one-paragraph notice from Scott Stephenson, chair of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

In a statement to the board, he said: "Yes, I'm a monster...The only thing that kept me going all these years, the only thing I know 100%, this would never happen if I was in my right mind ... I make no excuses."

Honie told the board he wanted to continue to live to be a support for his mother and his daughter. After the ruling his attorneys expressed sadness and disappointment, saying their client is no longer the same person and is demonstrating in prison that he can live a nonviolent life.