Clarence Ray Allen

Executed Jan. 17, 2006 | 23 years, one month on death row

Clarence Ray Allen was convicted of organizing the murders of Bryon Schletewitz, 27; Douglas White, 18; and Josephine Rocha, 17. Prosecutors told a jury in Fresno that Allen paid a fellow inmate, Billy Ray Hamilton, to carry out the killings.

At the time of the killings, Allen was in prison, convicted of the 1974 murder of Mary Sue Kitts. California did not have a death penalty statute at that time. Kitts, a girlfriend of Allen’s son, Kenneth, was found strangled after telling the owners of a Fresno market that Allen’s gang had burglarized their business. Schletewitz was the son of the store owners and had testified against Allen in the Kitts case. Allen was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and one count of conspiracy.

Last meal: Buffalo steak, Kentucky Fried Chicken (all white meat), fried bread, pecan pie (sugar free); black walnut ice cream (sugar free), and whole milk.

Last words: Allen issued the following statement: “First of all I’d like to say how good the last meal was, how much I enjoyed it and how much I love my family and friends who have stood by me all these years. I’d also like to thank my friends from Europe who have written to me and my spiritual advisor Richard Williams, one lady, Henny Ripp from Holland, and another lady from Italy, Christine Kaufmann, who I gave an Indian name of Morning Sun, and she’s been that to me, and all of the inmates on death row that I’m leaving behind that they will be joining me one day.



“One good friend I’ve got that I hate to leave behind who’s been my neighbor for 20 years is Ward Weaver. And all of my family that was here to visit me during this period, I love you very much for being with me during this time.



“My last words will be, ‘Hoka Hey, it’s a good day to die.’ Thank you very much. I love you all. Goodbye.”

Related: California executes death row inmate, 76

