Gary Wayne Sutton, who was convicted in the 1992 murders of siblings Tommy Griffin and Connie Branam, is the next person scheduled to be executed in Tennessee. The execution is planned for Dec. 3.
Sutton and his uncle, James Dellinger, were convicted for both Blount County murders, but received the death penalty for Griffin's killing. Dellinger died of natural causes in prison in 2023 at age 71.
Sutton, 61, has been on death row since 1996.
While most of the evidence presented at trial was circumstantial, investigators closed in on Sutton and Dellinger as suspects within days.
Griffin's body was found Feb. 24, 1992, along the Little River near Walland. The 24-year-old
was shot once in the back of the head.
Dellinger and Sutton also were suspected in the disappearance of Griffin's 34-year-old sister, Connie Branam. Branam's body was discovered Feb. 29 in her burned-out car.
The two men were already being sought after they posted Griffin's bail on Feb. 21, making them the last to see him alive, and then packing up and leaving town after Griffin's funeral. They also were the last people seen with Branam on Feb. 22.
Griffin's family told Knox News at the time there had been a feud between Griffin and Sutton's brother in the months before the killings.
The first trial, for Branam's murder, began on Feb. 19, 1993, and lasted six days. The jury found the two men guilty, but opted to sentence them to life in prison.
The trial for Griffin's murder later that year lasted two weeks, ending in a guilty verdict. The jury agreed on the death penalty.
Though Sutton has exhausted legal appeals at the federal level, his family has appealed to Gov. Bill Lee for a pardon.
Advocates for Sutton argue there was no direct evidence linking him to the crimes, that prosecutors ignored evidence that pointed to other suspects and the medical examiner who testified at trial was later discredited and stripped of his license.
Anthony Nicotera covers public safety for Knox News. Email: anthony.nicotera@knoxnews.com
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Gary Wayne Sutton, the next man set for execution in Tennessee, maintains his innocence
