The Tragic End of a Brutal Case: Texas Man Executed for “Exorcism” Murder
In a somber conclusion to one of Texas’s most disturbing murder cases, Blaine Milam, 35, was executed by lethal injection on Thursday at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. Milam had been convicted of the 2008 murder of 13-month-old Amora Carson, his girlfriend’s daughter, in what prosecutors described as a horrific attempt to “exorcise” a demon from the child. The execution marks the end of a lengthy legal journey that included multiple stays and appeals, ultimately resulting in Texas—the nation’s leading state for capital punishment—carrying out the death sentence that had been delayed twice before in 2019 and 2021.
Prison officials noted that Milam appeared anxious upon his arrival at the Huntsville Unit on Thursday afternoon, complaining of a headache before being placed in a holding cell adjacent to the death chamber. When given the opportunity to make a final statement, Milam chose to thank his supporters and the prison chaplaincy for providing faith-based programs to death row inmates. His last words were deeply religious in nature: “If any of you would like to see me again, I implore all of you, no matter who you are, to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and we will meet again. I love you all. Bring me home, Jesus.” The execution process began at 6:19 p.m. with the administration of pentobarbital, causing Milam to grunt and gasp once before quietly snoring. Movement and sounds ceased within two minutes, and he was pronounced dead at 6:40 p.m.
The crime that led to Milam’s execution was described by prosecutors as “unspeakable violence” inflicted upon a defenseless toddler over a horrifying 30-hour period. According to court documents, Amora Carson suffered devastating injuries, including skull fractures, broken bones, and dozens of bite marks. Prosecutors detailed how Milam had beaten the child with a hammer before strangling, biting, and mutilating her. The brutality of the crime led to the trial being moved from Rusk County to Montgomery County, more than 140 miles away, due to the intense publicity surrounding the case. Milam’s girlfriend at the time, Jesseca Carson, was also convicted for her role in the murder and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Throughout the years following his conviction, Milam maintained his innocence while his legal team pursued various avenues of appeal. His defense attorneys argued that he should be spared execution on multiple grounds, including questions about the reliability of bite mark evidence presented at trial and concerns regarding his intellectual disability. These arguments resulted in temporary stays of execution in both 2019 and 2021, as courts reviewed the claims. However, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ultimately ruled that the execution should proceed, and the Board of Pardons and Paroles denied his request for clemency, exhausting his final options for avoiding the death penalty.
Milam’s version of events shifted over time, with his final defense suggesting that he had merely followed the lead of Carson, who allegedly insisted that her daughter was possessed by a demon. This portrayal attempted to cast Carson as the primary instigator of the “exorcism” that led to the child’s death, with Milam as a secondary participant. However, prosecutors and the courts remained unconvinced by this narrative, pointing to the active role Milam played in the brutal assault on the toddler. The prosecution maintained throughout that both adults were fully culpable for the deliberate and extended torture that resulted in Amora’s death.
The execution of Blaine Milam represents another chapter in Texas’s complex relationship with capital punishment. While some states have moved away from the death penalty in recent years, Texas continues to lead the nation in executions. This case, with its particularly disturbing details involving the murder of a young child, highlights the types of crimes that continue to result in the ultimate punishment in the Lone Star State. For the family of Amora Carson and the community affected by this tragedy, the execution may bring a measure of closure to a case that has wound through the legal system for over a decade, though nothing can undo the loss of a young life cut short in such a horrific manner.
