Eric Wrinkles

Matthew "Eric" Wrinkles (January 3, 1960 – December 11, 2009) was a convicted multiple murderer, sentenced to death. He served 14 years at Indiana State Prison located in Michigan City, Indiana, where he was also executed on December 11, 2009.

On July 21, 1994, Wrinkles murdered his wife, Debra Jean Wrinkles, his brother-in-law Tony Fulkerson, and Fulkerson's wife, Natalie Fulkerson, at their residence in Evansville. Debbie Wrinkles had been living with the Fulkersons since her separation from Wrinkles, along with their children.^[1] Wrinkles blamed his actions on his addiction to methamphetamine.

Days before the murders took place, Wrinkles' mother had made efforts to have him committed to a hospital due to his erratic behavior but was informed that he didn't meet the criteria. About two weeks prior to the killings he had been briefly hospitalized at a different hospital before being released by a psychiatrist who determined he was not "gravely disabled."^[2]

On November 10, 2009, Wrinkles appeared as a guest from prison on a segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show,^[3] where he was confronted by members of his victims' families.

Execution

On November 3, 2009, the Indiana Supreme Court^[4] set the execution date for Wrinkles as December 11, 2009, by lethal injection. After all appeals had been exhausted, Wrinkles refused to seek clemency but also refused to sign a waiver of his right to a clemency hearing.^[5]

Wrinkles' execution took place as scheduled with a time of death of 12:39 AM CST on December 11, 2009. Wrinkles did not resist the execution process and denied his right to a final statement, only to proclaim, "Let's get it done. Let's lock and load ... it's plagiarized but what the hell."^[6][7] Wrinkles' last meal took place three days prior to his execution. It consisted of prime rib, loaded baked potato, pork chops with fries, rolls and two salads with ranch dressing. Indiana serves the traditional last meal three days prior to execution, maintaining that a condemned prisoner tends to lose appetite as the time of execution approaches.^[2]

References