Execution set in brutal southern Indiana killing

A judge Tuesday sentenced William Clyde Gibson to death and set his execution date, prompting the killer to say he believes the punishment is fair — and that he wants to resolve his remaining trials quickly.

"I deserve what I'm getting. It ain't no big deal," Gibson told Floyd Superior Judge Susan Orth during a hearing in New Albany where he also asked that coming trials be "fast and speedy." But Gibson said he didn't want any plea deals to resolve the pending murder cases.

The comments, spoken in matter-of-fact fashion, prompted Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson to declare that Gibson has shown no remorse for his crimes and clearly deserves to die for what he's done.

"I saw no remorse. No 'sorry,' " Henderson said.

Gibson was convicted last month of bludgeoning and sexually assaulting Clarksville resident Christine Whitis, a family friend and grandmother who'd come to his New Albany home to comfort Gibson following his mother's death.

The sentencing seemed difficult for Orth. She appeared to choke up as she said, "Mr. Gibson, may God have mercy on your soul."

Mike Whitis, the victim's son, told reporters as he and relatives left the courtroom that Gibson's death sentence is just.

The brief hearing marked the conclusion of one death penalty case and paves the way for two more trials for Gibson, the 56-year-old man who was arrested in April 2012 and accused of three heartlessly brutal homicides.

Under Indiana law, a death sentence is automatically appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court. Two additional appeals involving post-conviction review and federal habeas corpus review of constitutional rights — which are handled by the Indiana attorney general — also are provided unless a defendant decides to forgo them.

Indiana uses lethal injection to execute inmates.

Orth set a tentative date of Nov. 26, 2014 for the execution, but because of the automatic appeals, that date is expected to be set aside. Most Indiana death row inmates spend more than a decade awaiting execution and many either die naturally or have their sentences set aside, according to a study by the state's Legislative Services Agency.

Gibson told Orth he wants speedy trials, which means the court must hold the second death penalty trial in Kirk's murder in about six months, Henderson said.

Evidence presented in court showed that Gibson strangled Whitis, and broke her ribs and lower spine before cutting off her breast with a kitchen knife and placing it in the glove compartment of the woman's van.

Police tracked down the ex-convict at the wheel of Whitis' minivan at Walmart on Grant Line Road in New Albany, a half mile from the crime scene. Gibson's sister had found Whitis' body beside some garbage bags in his garage and called police.

Then, investigators made more amazing discoveries after interviewing Gibson. They found the body of a missing Charlestown woman, Stephanie Kirk, 35, buried in Gibson's backyard. She'd also been strangled and sexually assaulted. They also connected Gibson to another murder a decade earlier — the stabbing death of Karen Hodella, 44, of Port Orange, Fla. Her body was found beside the Ohio River in Clarksville in 2003.

By indicating he's not interested in plea deals to resolve the Kirk and Hodella cases, Gibson effectively shut the door on any potential for resolving the cases without trials, Henderson said.

By law, Gibson has the right to demand trials in the other cases even though he's been convicted and sentenced to death in Whitis' death, he said.

A jury from Dearborn County was transported to New Albany last month to help ensure Gibson received a trial from people who weren't exposed to publicity about the crimes. The jurors returned the death penalty after deliberating just 17 minutes on an initial guilt phase of the trial.

They also returned verdicts recommending the death penalty and affirming his status as a habitual offender.

Henderson has taken heat in recent weeks for saying he'd pursue the second and third murder cases, despite having gained a death penalty conviction in the first case. Floyd County is facing nearly a $2 million budget shortfall in 2014, in part because of more than $2 million spent this year on David Camm's third murder in which the Georgetown man was acquitted.

Gibson's trial last month cost an estimated $275,000, and his trial for the Kirk murder is expected to cost about the same. No estimates have been made for the cost of trying him in the Hodella's killing, a non-death penalty case, but bringing in an out-of-town jury adds to the expense.

Henderson reiterated that the cost of trials shouldn't be a consideration when lives have been lost.

Reporter Grace Schneider can be reached at (812) 949-4040. Follow her on Twitter @gesinfk.