South Carolina executed Stephen Stanko, 57, by lethal injection for a 2005 murder and rape.

South Carolina executed Stephen Stanko, 57, by lethal injection on Friday, marking the state's sixth execution in nine months. Stanko was convicted of shooting a friend, stealing his bank account, and strangling his live-in girlfriend while raping her teenage daughter in 2005. He initially considered a firing squad but chose lethal injection after concerns about the firing squad's accuracy. Despite last-ditch legal efforts and a clemency request, Stanko was pronounced dead at 6:34 p.m.