Wesley Ira Purkey (January 6, 1952 – July 16, 2020) was an American convicted murderer who was executed by the United States federal government for the January 1998 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 16-year-old Jennifer Long. Purkey confessed to the crime while serving a life sentence for the murder of 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales, whom he beat to death with a claw hammer in October 1998.
In 2020, Purkey was one of several condemned men on federal death row selected to be executed by the federal government of the United States. He was executed via lethal injection on the morning of July 16, 2020, following a delay due to concerns that he had Alzheimer's disease and did not understand why he was being executed.
Early life
Wesley Ira Purkey was born on January 6, 1952, in Wichita, Kansas. As a child, he experienced repeated sexual abuse and molestation by those in charge of his care. At age 14, he was examined for possible brain damage. He reportedly had multiple traumatic brain injuries throughout his life, which began in 1968 at the age of 16 and again in 1972 and 1976, at the ages of 20 and 24, respectively. At age 18, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, as well as depression superimposed upon a preexisting antisocial personality disorder.
Criminal history
Purkey was convicted of burglary in 1970, for which he received his first parole. However, he broke his parole and was sent back to prison. He was paroled again in 1980. Following his release on parole, Purkey, accompanied by a friend, robbed a man in Wichita at gunpoint. Purkey then shot the man twice in the head before fleeing. The man survived the shooting, and Purkey was sentenced to fifteen years to life in prison for aggravated battery, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. While in prison, records show he was violent and uncooperative. He was stabbed on two separate occasions by other inmates, one of which was over a drug deal.
In 1986, Purkey was reported to have changed and was staying out of trouble and working in a prison paint shop. He earned an associate degree in literature from a community college, joined Alcoholics Anonymous, and took drug, alcohol, and mental health counseling. In 1992, counselors evaluated Purkey and found he was a classic psychopath; however, his education and intelligence seemed to moderate his antisocial tendencies. In 1996, a counselor concluded he had used his time in prison productively to help rebuild his life. The following year, Purkey's family and friends sent letters to the Kansas Parole Board asking for his release, arguing he had matured and was ready for freedom. Police, prosecutors, and Purkey's former victims objected to his release. The 1980 shooting victim, who was now partially disabled for life, told the parole board that Purkey should stay in prison for the remainder of his life. However, the board disagreed, citing that he had made good progress while incarcerated. In March 1997, Purkey was released from prison after serving seventeen years behind bars.
Murders
Jennifer Long
On January 22, 1998, Purkey drove from his home in Lansing, Kansas to Kansas City, Missouri for a job interview with a plumbing company. Following the interview, Purkey smoked crack cocaine and prowled the streets in his white Ford pickup truck. On one street, he spotted 16-year-old Jennifer Long walking along the sidewalk. He pulled over and began speaking with her, asking if she wanted to party. She agreed and got into his vehicle, with the two of them driving to a liquor store to purchase alcohol. After Purkey bought Long some gin, he told her he needed to return home. Not wanting to go with him, Long asked to be let out of the vehicle, causing Purkey to retrieve a boning knife from the glove compartment, which he threatened her with. The two drove back to Purkey's home from Missouri to Kansas. Once inside, Purkey took Long to the basement, forced her to undress, then raped her. After doing so, Long attempted to escape. Purkey grabbed her and stabbed her repeatedly in the chest, face, and neck until she died.