Bio

Stephen Ray Nethery was born on June 2, 1960. He grew up in Dallas County, Texas.

Murder Story

On February 23, 1981, in Dallas County, Texas, Stephen Ray Nethery was involved in a serious crime that led to the death of police officer John McCarthy. After a night of drinking, Nethery and a woman left a bar and drove to a secluded area near a lake. They engaged in sexual relations when police officers, patrolling the area, noticed them and approached their car.

Officers Phillip Brown and John McCarthy got out of their patrol vehicle to investigate. Officer Brown shined a flashlight into Nethery's car as he was about to return to his cruiser. At that moment, Nethery exited his car, aimed a firearm at Officer McCarthy, and fired three shots, hitting the officer in the head. Officer Brown immediately returned fire while Nethery attempted to flee towards the lake.

During the chase, Nethery entered the lake and eventually surrendered to the police. Officer McCarthy was rushed to the hospital but, unfortunately, died from his injuries shortly after. Nethery was arrested on the same day and charged with capital murder.

Following his arrest, he went through the legal process that resulted in his conviction for the murder of Officer McCarthy. The jury found that Nethery had acted deliberately and would likely pose a future danger to society. As a result, he was sentenced to death.

After exhausting his appeals, Stephen Ray Nethery was executed by lethal injection in Texas on May 27, 1994. In his final statement, he expressed hope for prayers for both his family and the family of Officer McCarthy.