{{Short description|American executed criminal (1971–2017)}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox criminal | image = Gary Otte.jpg | birth_name = Gary Wayne Otte | birth_date = {{birth date|1971|12|21}} | birth_place = Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2017|9|13|1971|12|21}} | death_place = Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Lucasville, Ohio, U.S. | death_cause = Execution by lethal injection | conviction = Aggravated murder (2 counts)<br>Aggravated robbery (2 counts)<br>Aggravated burglary (2 counts) | criminal_penalty = Death (October 1992) | victims = Robert R. Wasikowski, 61<br>Sharon L. Kostura, 45 | date = February 12–13, 1992 }}
'''Gary Wayne Otte''' (December 21, 1971 – September 13, 2017)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/Search/Details/A264667|title=Offender Details|website=appgateway.drc.ohio.gov|access-date=November 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120172239/https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/Search/Details/A264667|archive-date=November 20, 2022}}</ref> was an Ohio death row inmate who was sentenced to death and executed for the 1992 murders of Robert Wasikowski (May 30, 1930 – February 12, 1992) and Sharon Kostura (December 12, 1946 – February 13, 1992), whom he killed in back-to-back robberies in February 1992 in Parma, Ohio.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-executes-man-convicted-of-killing-two-in-back-to-back-robberies/|title=Ohio executes man convicted of killing two in back-to-back robberies|access-date=September 13, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
== Background == Gary Otte was born on December 21, 1971, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was described as a 'very sad little boy' who began using drugs and drinking alcohol at 10 and first attempted suicide at 14. The killings took place six years later, when Otte was 20. At his October 1992 trial, Gary Otte was sentenced to death for murder.
Otte's IQ was purportedly only 85,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2017/09/national_anti-death-penalty_ad.html|title=National anti-death-penalty advocate calls for stop to execution of Ohio killer|work=cleveland.com|access-date=September 13, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> although this would not bar him from execution. Otte was involved in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Ohio's execution procedures, alongside fellow death row inmates Ronald Phillips and Raymond Tibbetts, which would ultimately be dismissed in late June 2017. Phillips' execution followed less than a month later on July 26. Otte made several last minute pleas for clemency, all of which would be rejected. These included claims that Ohio's lethal injection protocol violated the Eighth Amendment, and that his age at the time of the killings would make his execution unconstitutional. All of these claims were eventually denied.
== Execution == In an order published by Ohio Governor John Kasich on May 1, 2017, Otte's execution was rescheduled from June 13, 2017, to September 13, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/stories/outcomes-of-death-warrants-in-2017|title=Outcomes of Death Warrants in 2017 {{!}} Death Penalty Information Center|website=deathpenaltyinfo.org|language=en|access-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref> Following the denial of all his last minute appeals, Otte was executed as scheduled on the morning of Wednesday, September 13, 2017. For his final meal, Otte ordered and received a mushroom and Swiss cheeseburger, a double cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, Miracle Whip, a quart of Heath bar ice cream, two doughnuts, slice of banana cream pie, and soda.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-13 |title=Executed Ohio murderer served two burgers, multiple desserts for last meal |url=https://www.nbc4i.com/news/executed-ohio-murderer-served-two-burgers-multiple-desserts-for-last-meal/ |access-date=2024-12-16 |website=NBC4 WCMH-TV |language=en-US}}</ref> In his final statement, Otte professed his love for his family, apologized to the families of the victims, and sang the hymn "The Greatest Thing". His final words were a statement attributed to Jesus Christ during his crucifixion: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they're doing."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/lethal-injection/ohio-executes-double-murderer-gary-otte-n800971|title=Ohio Executes Double Murderer Gary Otte as He Sings Hymn|work=NBC News|access-date=September 13, 2017|language=en}}</ref> Otte was pronounced dead at 10:54{{spaces}}a.m. He was 45 years old.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/2017|title=Execution List 2017 {{!}} Death Penalty Information Center|website=deathpenaltyinfo.org|language=en|access-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref>
== See also == * Capital punishment in Ohio * Capital punishment in the United States * List of people executed in Ohio * List of people executed in the United States in 2017
== References == {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} ! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in Ohio {{s-bef|before=Ronald Phillips|before2=<div style="font-weight: normal">July 26, 2017</div>}} {{s-ttl|title=Gary Otte|years=September 13, 2017}} {{s-aft|after=Robert Van Hook|after2=<div style="font-weight: normal">July 18, 2018</div>}} |- ! colspan="3" | Executions carried out in the United States {{s-bef|before=Mark Asay – Florida|before2=<div style="font-weight: normal">August 24, 2017</div>}} {{s-ttl|title=Gary Otte – Ohio|years=September 13, 2017}} {{s-aft|after=Michael Lambrix – Florida|after2=<div style="font-weight: normal">October 5, 2017</div>}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Otte, Gary}} Category:1971 births Category:1992 murders in the United States Category:2017 deaths Category:21st-century executions by Ohio Category:American people convicted of robbery Category:American people convicted of burglary Category:American people executed for murder Category:February 1992 in the United States Category:People convicted of murder by Ohio Category:People executed by Ohio by lethal injection Category:People from Terre Haute, Indiana Category:September 2017 in the United States Category:20th-century American murderers