Ralph Leroy Menzies, a death row inmate in Utah, died of natural causes at 67 while awaiting a competency hearing related to his execution by firing squad. Menzies was convicted for the 1986 murder of Maureen Hunsaker, a mother of three, who he brutally kidnapped and killed. Following his death, Hunsaker’s family mourned her as a beloved individual and expressed gratitude to authorities for their pursuit of justice against Menzies.
Menzies was initially deemed competent for execution in June, but his lawyers later argued his health had deteriorated, citing dementia related to a vascular disease. A commutation hearing in August was unsuccessful, and a new competency hearing was scheduled for December after the Utah Supreme Court intervened. A psychologist’s report indicated Menzies was incompetent to face the death penalty, just a week before his scheduled execution.
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