Taberon Dave Honie, who earned capital punishment for the horrific slaying of Claudia Benn in 1998, met his demise by lethal injection on Thursday morning. As the fatal dosage surged through his veins, Honie's final words resonated with remorse and a heartfelt adieu to his loved ones.
In the chilling annals of Utah's judicial history, the execution of Taberon Dave Honie stands as a stark reminder of the irreversible consequences of heinous crimes. On Thursday, August 8, 2023, Honie, at the age of 48, was put to death by lethal injection for the brutal murder of Claudia Benn, his girlfriend's mother, nearly a quarter-century ago.
Utah Man Executed for Brutal Murder of Girlfriend's Mother
As the lethal pentobarbital coursed through Honie's veins, he mustered his last breath to bid farewell to his family, his voice carrying a weight of both sorrow and acceptance. "From the start, it's been, if it needs to be done for them to heal, let's do this," Honie uttered, his words etched with a profound sense of regret.
Honie's gruesome act shattered lives and left an unfillable void in the heart of Benn's family. Recalling the horrors of that fateful day in July 1998, Honie broke into Benn's Cedar City home, his mind clouded by a reckless cocktail of alcohol and drugs. In a fit of unimaginable rage, he repeatedly slashed Benn's throat and inflicted multiple stab wounds on other parts of her body.
Utah Man Executed for Brutal Murder of Girlfriend's Mother
The subsequent investigation peeled back layers of Honie's disturbing past, revealing that he had sexually abused one of Benn's other grandchildren, who was in the house at the time of the murder. Honie's actions, both the heinous crime and the predatory acts, shattered the innocence of the young victims and cast a dark shadow over his family.
Prior to his execution, Honie spent the evening in the company of his daughter and immediate family. Despite the gravity of his actions, Honie's daughter expressed a glimmer of compassion, pleading with the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to spare her father's life.
Utah Man Executed for Brutal Murder of Girlfriend's Mother
However, Benn's family remained steadfast in their belief that Honie deserved no mercy. The brutal and senseless murder of their beloved matriarch had left an unhealed wound that could not be mended by any form of leniency.
As the clock ticked down on Honie's life, he expressed a poignant message of appreciation to the correctional officers who had cared for his family. Warden Bart Mortensen confirmed Honie's final act of gratitude before his consciousness slipped away.
The execution, carried out in accordance with Utah's capital punishment protocol, marked the conclusion of a long and somber chapter. Honie's last meal, as per his request, was a cheeseburger, french fries, and a milkshake. At 12:25 a.m. Mountain Time, he was pronounced dead, his lifeless body a chilling testament to the consequences of unchecked rage and violence.
The execution of Taberon Dave Honie serves as a somber reminder of the destructive power of unchecked malice and the enduring scars inflicted on victims' families. While Honie's final words hinted at remorse, the profound pain he caused can never truly be erased.
