12 January 2023 , 12:15
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A man who killed an elderly couple after spying on his ex-girlfriend's house is set to be executed today.
Death row inmate Scott Eizember, 62, will be killed by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma, US, for the deaths of A.J. Cantrell, 76, and his wife, Patsy Cantrell, 70, in 2003.
Eizember had broken into the couple's home to wait his ex-girlfriend to return to her mum's house across the street.
However, when the Cantrells came home he held the couple hostage before killing them.
He went on to commit a series of other crimes across several other states, leading to one of Oklahoma's largest manhunts before he was ultimately captured in Texas more than a month after the killings.
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Oklahoma prison officials confirmed yesterday that they will allow an anti-death penalty minister inside the execution chamber (AFP via Getty Images)One of Cantrells children previously said she wanted to live long enough to see her parents' killer executed.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma prison officials confirmed yesterday they will allow an anti-death penalty minister with a history of protest-related arrests inside the execution chamber for today's lethal injection of Eizember.
Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe said he reversed his earlier decision not to allow the Rev. Jeffrey Hood into the chamber after consulting with the family members of Eizember's victims.
They were concerned that a lawsuit Eizember had filed over the matter could further delay the execution, he said.
One of Cantrells children previously said she wanted to live long enough to see her parents killer executed (Getty Images)"The family members of the victims in this case are ready for closure, and they understand that the lawsuit challenging the decision to deny chamber access to the activist could lead to Thursday's execution being stayed," Harpe said in a statement.
"Far too often, it is the victim and the victim's family who are overlooked in these cases. We want to make sure their concerns are heard instead of everything being solely about the inmate."
The Corrections Department had said on Tuesday that it would not allow the Arkansas minister inside the death chamber, saying Hood could pose a security risk because of his history of anti-death penalty activism, including several arrests.
Prison officials say Hood has agreed to follow strict guidelines on his actions inside the execution chamber.
As a result of the department's reversal, Hood said he was withdrawing his federal lawsuit that sought to halt the execution until he was allowed inside the chamber.
Hood said in a statement: "I count it a great honour to have fought for and secured the religious liberty of Scott Eizember and myself."
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