MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Early Wednesday morning, the Indiana Supreme Court’s order for the execution of Joseph Edward Corcoran was carried out.
Corcoran was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1997 murders of his brother, James Corcoran; his sister’s fiancé, Robert Scott Turner; and two of their friends, Timothy Bricker and Douglass Stillwell.
The Indiana Department of Corrections said the execution process started Wednesday, December 18, shortly after midnight CST. Corcoran was pronounced dead at 12:44 a.m. When asked if he had any last words, he replied: “Not really. Let’s get this over with.”
Speaking about the first time the state executed a criminal since 2009, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said, “Joseph Corcoran’s case has been reviewed repeatedly over the last 25 years – including seven times by the Indiana Supreme Court and three times by the U.S. Supreme Court, the most recent of which was tonight. His sentence has never been overturned and was carried out as ordered by the court.”
