Alabama man executed by nitrogen gas for 1997 killing of a store clerk
An Alabama man convicted of killing a gas station clerk during a 1997 robbery was executed Thursday, despite pleas from the victim’s son to spare his life.
Geoffrey Todd West, 50, was put to death at William C. Holman Correctional Facility using nitrogen gas, a method Alabama adopted last year. His execution was one of two nationwide on Thursday, alongside a Texas man executed for killing his girlfriend’s 13-month-old daughter.
West had been convicted of capital murder in the killing of 33-year-old Margaret Parrish Berry. He offered no final words when asked by the warden, but later, through his attorney, expressed remorse and gratitude for the forgiveness extended by Berry’s son, Will. West also said he had been baptized this year and was “at peace because I know where I am going.”
Berry was shot execution-style in the back of the head while behind the counter at Harold’s Chevron in Etowah County on March 28, 1997. Prosecutors said the killing was intended to leave no witnesses, and $250 was taken from the station’s cash. A jury recommended a death sentence by a 10-2 vote.
In interviews before his execution, West admitted to the killing, saying he and a girlfriend were desperate for money and targeted the station where he had once worked. He said he regrets his actions daily and wanted Berry’s family to know he is remorseful.
Will Berry, who was 11 when his mother was killed, had urged Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to commute the sentence, arguing that another death would not bring healing. Berry said he forgave West and sought closure, exchanging letters with him before the execution. The family and West had requested a meeting before the execution, which the Department of Corrections denied due to security rules.
Gov. Ivey stated her duty was to uphold the law and noted that nearly 30 years ago, West deliberately robbed and killed Berry. She said justice had been carried out and prayed for healing for all involved. Will Berry later offered condolences to West’s family, noting that West had grown up as a good person who had gone off track.
West’s attorneys called the denial of the pre-execution meeting a “lost opportunity for closure, for healing, for humanity” and said his execution raises questions about how society balances justice, mercy, and the possibility of redemption.
The nitrogen gas execution method involved strapping a mask to West’s face and depriving him of oxygen. Observers noted movements during the procedure, which Corrections Commissioner John Hamm described as largely involuntary and consistent with protocol. Alabama became the first state to carry out such an execution in 2024, and nationally, nitrogen gas has now been used seven times: six in Alabama and once in Louisiana.
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