Southwest
Man who set beloved Texas grandma on fire executed 13 years after her murder
A Texas man was executed on Tuesday evening 13 years after brutally killing a beloved grandma when he set her on fire at a gas station.
Matthew Johnson, 49, was convicted of the heinous murder of Nancy Harris, 76, a gas station clerk he doused with lighter fluid and set on fire during a 2012 robbery in Garland, TX.
He was pronounced dead at 6:53 p.m. after giving a final statement.
“First and foremost, I would like to give all praises to God. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here on this Earth. I thank him for the life he has given me,” Johnson said. “To Mrs. Harris’ family, as I look at each and every one of you, I see her on that day. I just please ask for y’all’s forgiveness. I never meant to hurt her. I pray that she’s the first person that I see when I open my eyes, and I will spend eternity with her.”
TEXAS EXECUTES MAN 20 YEARS AFTER HE STRANGLED, STABBED A YOUNG MOTHER TO DEATH
Matthew Johnson, a Texas death row inmate, was convicted of dousing 76-year-old gas station clerk Nancy Harris with lighter fluid and setting her on fire during a 2012 robbery. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
Johnson went on to apologize to his wife and children and admit his wrongdoing, saying: “I made wrong choices, I’ve made wrong decisions, and now I pay the consequences.”
He addressed his fellow death row inmates, telling them “I love y’all man, y’all continue on. Jesus is the way brothers, he is the only way.”
Johnson was 36 at the time of the deadly attack.
The fatal attack happened exactly 13 years ago, on May 20, 2012. Court documents, obtained by The Associated Press, show Johnson walked into the convenience store Harris was working at with a bottle of lighter fluid and a cigarette lighter.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said Johnson then went behind the counter and stole cigarettes, lighters and cash from the register before dumping the lighter fluid on Harris and setting her on fire before exiting the store.
He was arrested nearly an hour after the attack, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.
TEXAS EXECUTION OF ‘DESERT KILLER,’ ON DEATH ROW FOR 30 YEARS, BLOCKED BY COURT
Matthew Johnson was put to death in Texas. (AP)
Officials said Harris, who had worked at the gas station for more than 10 years, died five days after the attack, but was able to describe Johnson to police before her death.
At his 2013 trial, the AP reported Johnson admitted to setting Harris on fire, expressing remorse and calling himself “the lowest scum of the earth.”
TEXAS TO EXECUTE MAN WHO KILLED PASTOR IN CHURCH DAYS AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM ANGER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville. (Google Maps)
“I hurt an innocent woman. I took a human being’s life. I was the cause of that. It was not my intentions to – to kill her or to hurt her, but I did,” said Johnson.
During his sentencing, Johnson testified that he had been under the influence of drugs and alcohol during the robbery, claiming the lighter fluid was only meant to scare Harris, and he had no intention to kill her.
Johnson tried to appeal his death sentence, but his attempts failed.
Johnson’s execution will mark the fourth in the state this year and would bring the total number of executions in the U.S. to 18 so far this year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
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Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
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The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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