It’s a macabre little ritual: the final meal. From buckets of fried chicken to a single cup of coffee, the last requests of death-row inmates often surprise — and sometimes horrify — the public. Here are 13 notorious killers and the final plates they chose before execution.
John Wayne Gacy — the “Killer Clown” who preyed on young men in the 1970s — was executed in May 1994. For his final meal he requested a bucket of KFC chicken, a dozen fried prawns, a pound of strawberries, French fries and a Diet Coke.
Ted Bundy, who confessed to dozens of murders in the 1970s and became a tabloid-era fascination, declined to personally choose a last meal. He was served Florida State Prison’s standard offering: a medium-rare steak, eggs over-easy, hash browns, toast with butter and jelly, plus milk and juice.
Aileen Wuornos, convicted of murdering several men while doing sex work in Florida, was executed in 2002. She waived a formal last meal and instead asked only for a cup of coffee.
Gary Ray Bowles — the so-called “I-95 Killer” responsible for several murders in the 1990s — was executed in Florida in 2019. His final plate was three cheeseburgers, bacon, and French fries.
Convicted of multiple murders in Florida, Oscar Ray Bolin received a generous final spread before his 2016 execution: a medium-rare rib-eye, a baked potato with butter and sour cream, a simple salad, garlic bread, lemon meringue pie — and a bottle of Coca-Cola.
David Alan Gore — part of the pair labeled the “Killing Cousins” for a series of brutal Florida murders — was put to death in 2012. His last meal request included fried chicken, French fries and butter-pecan ice cream.
William Bonin, one of the so-called “Freeway Killers,” was executed in California in 1996. For his final meal he ordered two large pepperoni and sausage pizzas, three pints of coffee ice cream, and three six-packs of Coca-Cola.
Bobby Joe Long, the “Classified Ad Rapist” who terrorized Tampa Bay in the 1980s, was executed in 2019. His last meal consisted of roast beef, bacon, French fries and soda.
Stephen Peter Morin — a drifter who used multiple aliases and is suspected of dozens of killings — was executed in Texas in 1985. He was given a T-bone steak, baked potato with butter, sweet green peas, bread rolls, banana pudding and coffee.
Rhonda Belle Martin, convicted of poisoning family members in mid-20th-century Alabama, was executed in 1957. Her final meal included a hamburger, mashed potatoes, cinnamon rolls and coffee
Danny Rolling — the Gainesville Ripper whose brutal 1990 murders shocked the country — was executed in 2006. His last meal was lobster tail, butterfly shrimp, a baked potato, strawberry cheesecake and sweet tea.
Long-haul trucker John Fautenberry, who killed several people across state lines, was executed after years on death row. His final request was extensive: two sunny-side-up eggs, fried bologna, toast with butter and jelly, sliced tomatoes, lettuce and mayo, fried potatoes, multiple slices of white bread, two 3-Musketeers bars and two packs of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
John Martin Scripps — a British killer who murdered fellow travellers in Southeast Asia — was hanged in Singapore in 1996. His last meal was simple: pizza and hot chocolate.
