ST. LOUIS — Missouri will execute a man on death row on Tuesday.
Gov. Mike Parson announced Monday afternoon he would not stop the execution of convicted murderer Brian Dorsey despite a push to stop it.
Dorsey is convicted of killing his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Ben Bonnie, in 2006 just north of Jefferson City in New Bloomfield. Parson said Dorsey was visiting their house to borrow money from them when drug dealers came knocking at his door to collect their debts.
During the crime, Dorsey's current attorney said he was going through drug-induced psychosis, which was not investigated or mentioned during the initial trial -- making even some of the victims' family no longer in support of the death penalty.
"You know, that's supposed to be God's decision, not ours," said Claudia Boyce, who is a cousin to both Dorsey and the Bonnies.
Tuesday's execution of Dorsey, formerly of Jefferson City, was decided after the Missouri Supreme Court denied a stay of execution Friday.
Dorsey's clemency petition that was brought before Parson was supported by more than 70 Missouri correctional officers who lived with and worked with Dorsey as the prison's barber.
Victims' family members remain split on the lethal injection, considering Dorsey shot and killed his cousin and her husband on December 23, 2006. He then sexually assaulted Sarah's body, according to prosecutors, as their 4-year-old daughter slept in another room and was left unharmed.
Yet, one of Dorsey's attorneys Megan Crane calls this a "pointless execution" after a clean 17-year prison record and full rehabilitation. Crane providing 5 On Your Side with interviews that were conducted with Dorsey's cousins, who are also the victim's cousins in this case.
It is set to be Missouri's first execution of 2024.
"It will be terrible for me because he is like my son," said Linda Stone, who is also the cousin of both Dorsey and the victims.
"I was for the execution," Boyce said. "But after being through this, after seeing how this affects so many people, you don't even think about that until you've gone through it."
Parson pointed to justice for the victims' family in Monday decision, saying, "the pain Dorsey brought to others can never be rectified."
Michelle Smith, the co-director of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty said this will be the eleventh person executed since Parson has been in office.
She pointed to how many families get impacted by these executions.
"Brian's family has been divided for the last 17 years," Smith said. "It's really a sad situation. Of course, some people who were close to the victims are on one side and then Brian has family members who want his life to be spared. So, it's truly a sad situation."
"If Brian is executed I'm going to be heart broken," cousin Jennifer Gerhauser said. "I just don't understand how anyone or God, or the powers that be or fate or whatever is running this world could allow that special light to be extinguished."
There will be a vigil for Dorsey Tuesday at 3 p.m. outside the St. Louis Circuit Courthouse, at the state capital and in Kansas City, as well as outside the prison in St. Francois County where the execution will be taking place at 6 p.m.