HYDERABAD: In 2002, on a cold February 22 morning in Oklahoma, Sarath Babu Pulluru, a Telugu student from Andhra Pradesh, was doing night shift at the cash counter of a 24/7 provision store when 19-year-old Michael Dewayne Smith came up to him and emptied nine bullets into him from two handguns the latter was carrying, without any reason or provocation.Pulluru died on the spot.
Twenty-two years later, an Oklahoma court sentenced Smith, now 41, to death for the crime. He was executed on April 4 for the murder of Pulluru, and another murder, where he shot dead a woman, Jannet Miller-Moore, at her house.
Smith said Pulluru kept asking him “What did I do?” as he kept on firing. During the course of the investigation, when police asked Smith why he shot him so many times, he replied, “He would not die.”
Smith also told the court that he shot Pulluru in retaliation for comments that someone from the A-Z Mart, where Pulluru worked, had made in the media about a gang member who he was close to, and who had been shot dead in a neighbouring store where they had gone for robbery.
A 41-year-old man convicted of shooting and killing two people, including one from Andhra Pradesh, in US city of Oklahoma in 2002 has been executed.
Sarath Babu Pulluru was shot dead by 19-year-old Michael Dewayne Smith while the latter was doing night shift at the cash counter of a 24/7 provision store.
Smith had been on death row for the murders Pulluru and 40-year-old Janet Moore in separate incidents on February 22, 2002.
“I wanted to let Pulluru know why I shot him. It was to avenge the killing of my friend in the neighbouring store,” he told the court.
Police said Pulluru had no connection with that ‘neighbouring store’ nor did he make any statement in the media. On the day of the incident, he was sitting at the cash counter at the store, filling in for its owner who had taken the day off.
Smith was a member of a local crime gang in Oklahoma city. He used handguns to kill both his victims. Moore was killed while Smith was looking for her son who he thought was a police informant. Pulluru was killed for being employed by a convenience store owner against whom Smith sought revenge.
Smith told police after killing Pulluru, he took some money, and set ablaze the store to destroy evidence. After he was detained, he first denied committing the murders, before admitting that he killed both victims. Pulluru, unfortunately, was killed as Smith mistook him for another convenience store clerk who had made comments to a local newspaper about Smith’s criminal gang.
Pulluru’s brother Harish is a doctor in Nebraska. He is an alumni of Andhra Medical College. Pulluru had gone to Oklahoma for higher studies, and used to work at the convenience store at nights to supplement his income.
The family of Moore also released a statement declaring that “justice has been served” and thanking authorities for pursuing the punishment over the past 22 years. “It does not go unnoticed or in vain, as we were constantly reminded this is justice for a loss that has caused a ripple for generations to come,” the family wrote.
When asked if he had any last words, Smith responded, “Nah, I’m good,” the US media reported.
Twenty-two years later, an Oklahoma court sentenced Smith, now 41, to death for the crime. He was executed on April 4 for the murder of Pulluru, and another murder, where he shot dead a woman, Jannet Miller-Moore, at her house.
Smith said Pulluru kept asking him “What did I do?” as he kept on firing. During the course of the investigation, when police asked Smith why he shot him so many times, he replied, “He would not die.”
Smith also told the court that he shot Pulluru in retaliation for comments that someone from the A-Z Mart, where Pulluru worked, had made in the media about a gang member who he was close to, and who had been shot dead in a neighbouring store where they had gone for robbery.
A 41-year-old man convicted of shooting and killing two people, including one from Andhra Pradesh, in US city of Oklahoma in 2002 has been executed.
Sarath Babu Pulluru was shot dead by 19-year-old Michael Dewayne Smith while the latter was doing night shift at the cash counter of a 24/7 provision store.
Smith had been on death row for the murders Pulluru and 40-year-old Janet Moore in separate incidents on February 22, 2002.
“I wanted to let Pulluru know why I shot him. It was to avenge the killing of my friend in the neighbouring store,” he told the court.
Police said Pulluru had no connection with that ‘neighbouring store’ nor did he make any statement in the media. On the day of the incident, he was sitting at the cash counter at the store, filling in for its owner who had taken the day off.
Smith was a member of a local crime gang in Oklahoma city. He used handguns to kill both his victims. Moore was killed while Smith was looking for her son who he thought was a police informant. Pulluru was killed for being employed by a convenience store owner against whom Smith sought revenge.
Smith told police after killing Pulluru, he took some money, and set ablaze the store to destroy evidence. After he was detained, he first denied committing the murders, before admitting that he killed both victims. Pulluru, unfortunately, was killed as Smith mistook him for another convenience store clerk who had made comments to a local newspaper about Smith’s criminal gang.
Pulluru’s brother Harish is a doctor in Nebraska. He is an alumni of Andhra Medical College. Pulluru had gone to Oklahoma for higher studies, and used to work at the convenience store at nights to supplement his income.
The family of Moore also released a statement declaring that “justice has been served” and thanking authorities for pursuing the punishment over the past 22 years. “It does not go unnoticed or in vain, as we were constantly reminded this is justice for a loss that has caused a ripple for generations to come,” the family wrote.
When asked if he had any last words, Smith responded, “Nah, I’m good,” the US media reported.