Raymond Dayle Rowsey #3

Third murderer executed in U.S. in 2004.
Executed January 9, 2004 at 2:23 a.m. in North Carolina by lethal injection.

Summary of the Murder: Rowsey was sentenced to death in North Carolina, after he brutally murdered 20-year-old Howard Rue Sikorski at a Circle K store where Sikorski was working at the time.

Murderer - Raymond Dayle Rowsey

• Date of Birth - April 11, 1971
  
• Race - White
  
• Sex - Male
  
• Age when crime committed - 20
  
• Age when executed - 32
  
• Date of Sentence - October 1, 1993
  

Victim - Howard Rue Sikorski

• Date of Murder - March 24, 1992
  
• Race - White
  
• Sex - Male
  
• Age when murdered - 20
  
• Method of Murder - Handgun
  
• Relationship to Murderer - None

On March 23, 1992, half brother's Raymond Rowsey and Raymond Lee Steele, went to go to the Circle K after they became bored from spending the evening playing cards. They entered the store around 1:00 a.m. and got change from the store clerk, 20-year-old Howard Rue Sikorski.

After playing several rounds of video games, Rowsey went to the counter to pay for some M&M's, but when he got to the counter, he pulled a gun out, pointed it at the clerk and pulled the trigger. The gun did not go off.

Rowsey then turned to Steele and told him he scared the clerk with a water pistol (which it was not), but then turned back around and fired a shot into the face of Sikorski. He continued to shoot more bullets into Sikorski from over the counter then from around the counter. He then kicked him in the back of the head three to four times and left the store, catching up with Steele, who had left when during the time Rowsey was kicking his victim.

Sikorski's body was discovered at approximately 2:00 a.m., and an autopsy revealed six gunshot wounds; one to the face, one to the back of the neck, one to the right side of the head, and three to the back and several blunt-force injuries to the victim’s head and neck area.

Police determined that $57.54 in cash and several adult entertainment magazines had been removed from the store. In the stolen cash was a planted two-dollar bill that the store management had recorded the serial number from in order to help authorities track stolen money in the event of a robbery. Raymond Steele passed the two-dollar bill at a local store the next day and was apprehended by police.

During police questioning, Steele first said he knew nothing about the killing, but soon after admitted to being at the Circle K when the clerk was shot and witnessing his half-brother Rowsey, do the shooting. He was charged with second-degree murder in a plea bargain agreement which included his testimony at the Rowsey trail. Along with Steele's testimony, a bloody shoe print matched to Rowsey and proof of his possession of the murder weapon before and after the crime.

Steele testified that Rowsey told him that he shot Sikorski, because at first he was just playing around with the clerk to scare him, but thought he saw him reach under the counter for what he suspected was a gun. Rowsey told him he kicked the clerk to make sure he was dead however he also said that the victim was still struggling for air when Rowsey fled from the store. Rowsey told Steele that he took the money and magazines in order to make the crime look like a robbery.

Rowsey was found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery and was given the death sentence.

Criminal History Rowsey's past criminal record included - 15 counts of injury to personal property in 1990, one count of possession of a malt beverage by a minor in 1990, and two counts of misdemeanor larceny in 1991.

• 1/9/2003 - Raymond Dayle Rowsey executed at 2:00 a.m.
  
• 1/8/2003 - Governor Mike Easley denies clemency.
  
• 1/8/2003 - U.S. Supreme Court votes 5-4 to lift stay, allowing execution to proceed.
  
• 1/8/2003 - U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals panel splits 2-1, upholding Judge Boyle's stay.
  
• 1/7/2004 - U.S. District Court judge Terrence Boyle stays Rowsey's execution.
  
• 1/7/2004 - Witnesses named for Rowsey execution.
  
• 12/1/2003 - Correction Secretary Theodis Beck sets execution date for Jan. 9, 2004.
  
• 11/3/2003 - U.S. Supreme Court denies Rowsey's petition for a writ of certiorari.
  
• 7/31/1996 - NC Supreme Court affirms Rowsey's conviction and sentence of death.
  
• 10/1/1993 - Rowsey sentenced to death in Alamance County Superior Court for the murder of Howard Sikorski.
  

The Execution: On the day of his execution, Rowsey spent time with his family and his lawyers. He held his 11-year-old daughter for the first time since he was sent to prison. His last meal was pizza, chicken wings, two packages of peanut M&M candy and a Pepsi.

Rowsey made no last statement. His defense lawyer James Payne said his client "asked us to tell you that he died in peace with no hatred in his heart, and nothing but love for his brother, Lee Steele."

Raymond Dayle Rowsey was pronounced dead at 2:23 a.m. by lethal injection.