Wallace executed Thursday for 1980 murder of couple, 2 kids

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- The attorney for a man put to death early Thursday for the 1980 slayings of an Evansville couple and their two children said his family hoped his execution would bring "peace and healing" to the victims' relatives.\nDonald Ray Wallace, 47, died by chemical injection at 12:23 a.m. CST at the Indiana State Prison after exhausting his appeals for his 1982 death sentence.\nIn his final statement, Wallace, who did not seek clemency from Gov. Mitch Daniels, said, "I hope everyone can find peace with this."\nBy state law, the governor can grant clemency to any prisoner, with or without a formal request. Jane Jankowski, a spokeswoman for Daniels, said Wednesday the governor had reviewed the case but did not intervene.\nWallace was sentenced to death for the January 1980 killings of Theresa Gilligan, her husband, Patrick, and their children, Lisa, 5, and Gregory, 4. He bound and shot the victims to death after they surprised him as he burglarized their Evansville home.\nAt a prayer service held Wednesday night at the same Evansville church where the Gilligans wed, Theresa's sister, Diana Harrington, told about 200 people that Theresa and Pat Gilligan would have appreciated the turnout. She said the couple's "children with their wonderful manners and beautiful smiles would have welcomed you all."\nSeveral in the crowd dabbed their eyes as tears ran down their faces.\n"Let us not forget to pray for Donald Wallace whose life has become entwined with ours," said Susan Stern, one of Patrick Gilligan's sisters.\nWallace's death ends a long-running appeals process that went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which late last year declined to hear the case.\nHis family issued a statement through his attorney, Sarah Nagy, shortly after his death saying they oppose the death penalty.\n"Don felt this way and so do we. In spite of this, it was his wish that peace and healing may finally come to everyone that has been affected by this case and everyone that's been touched by his life," Nagy said.\nAbout two dozen people protested outside the prison in 20-degree readings. Three Indianapolis police officers were on hand to show their support of the death penalty.\nWallace is the 12th person executed by the state of Indiana since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977. \nThe last person executed was Joseph Trueblood on June 13, 2003, for the 1988 murders of Susan Bowsher of Lafayette and her children, 2-year-old Ashelyn Hughes and 1-year-old William E. Bowsher.\nThen-Gov. Joe Kernan granted clemency last July to Darnell Williams, who murdered an elderly couple in 1986, the first time in 48 years that an Indiana governor granted clemency in a capital case. Kernan said it would be unfair to execute Williams when a mentally retarded accomplice got a life sentence.\nKernan also granted clemency in January to Michael Daniels, an Indianapolis man convicted of murdering an Army minister in 1978.\nA second execution is scheduled for this year. Bill J. Benefiel, 48, is scheduled to be executed April 21 for the 1987 torture-slaying of Dolores Wells, 18, of Terre Haute.