Recordpub.com - Ohio executes inmate with 1-drug lethal injection

By MARC KOVAC

Record-Courier Capital Bureau

LUCASVILLE — Convicted Trumbull County murderer Kenneth Biros apologized and thanked his family and friends for their support and prayers before being executed Tuesday morning at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville.

But Biros did not look at the family members of the woman he murdered in 1991 as he lay dying in the execution chamber.

"I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart," he said shortly before the lethal injection was administered. "Now I'm paroled to my father in heaven. I get to spend the holidays with my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Peace to you all. Amen."

Cheri Heiss, sister of the murder victim, said the apology was not sincere.

"He didn't really look me or anyone in the eye when he said that," she said. "And he said it so fast, it was definitely not a meaningful statement by any means. There was nothing behind that. ... It did not come from the heart. The only reason Kenny Biros is sorry is because he got caught, and believe me this is not the first time he's done this.

Biros, 51, was convicted in the February 1991 murder of Tami Engstrom, a 22-year-old woman who he offered to drive home from a Masury bar. The victim was murdered, mutilated and dismembered, with parts of her body scattered in two Pennsylvania counties.

This was Biros' second trip to the Death House. He spent the night at the Lucasville prison in March 2007, but last-minute court action stayed his execution at that time.

Federal courts denied his request for further delays, saying the state's new single-drug lethal injection protocol and backup plan in case veins were not accessible made his earlier legal arguments concerning the constitutionality of Ohio's lethal injection process moot.

Biros was transported early Monday morning from Death Row at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility and spent much of the day resting on the bed in his cell, sometimes asleep, sometimes with his eyes closed.

"He's appeared to be calm throughout the evening, restful,"said Julie Walburn, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. "There is some note, during visitation, that the visitation was a little bit emotional. But otherwise, he has been very calm, [execution team members] used the word 'relaxed' with me."

Biros met with spiritual advisers and took communion — three wafers — from about 3 to 4 p.m. He then had contact visits with family members from about 4:40 to about 7:30 p.m. Visitors included his mother, sisters, brother, a brother-in-law, friends and spiritual advisers.

Biros was given five meditation CDs for use in his cell by his spiritual advisers, which included a catholic priest and two Buddhists.

After his contact visits, he ate his most of his special meal, which included pizza with extra cheese, mushrooms and onions; onion rings; fried mushrooms; Doritos; French onion dip; blueberry ice cream; cherry pie; Dr. Pepper and ketchup.

Marc Kovac is the Dix Capital Bureau Chief. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at Ohio Capital Blog.