Before meeting her end on death row, a woman committed a final act of defiance.

Lisa Montgomery took the life of 23-year-old Bobbie Jo Stinnett in Missouri, USA, by strangulation, before removing her unborn child and fleeing with it in 2004.

Sadly, Stinnett succumbed to her injuries, but the infant was rescued safely and returned to her family.

Montgomery confessed and was convicted in 2007 after a trial.

Discover more about Lisa Montgomery's execution here…

On January 13, 2021, Lisa Montgomery faced her fate via lethal injection at a penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, marking her the first female federal prisoner to be executed by the US government in nearly seven decades.

Her execution proceeded after the US Supreme Court removed a final, fleeting delay in her sentence.

However, Montgomery had a final display of defiance before her sentence was carried out.

When given the opportunity to utter any last words—perhaps to express regret—her response was a simple and resolute: "No."

According to witnesses who spoke to the BBC, Montgomery's face mask was taken off during her execution.

Her attorney, Kelley Henry, expressed strong disapproval of those who participated in the execution, declaring that they should 'feel ashamed'.

Henry continued: "The government stopped at nothing in its zeal to kill this damaged and delusional woman."

"Lisa Montgomery's execution was far from justice."

Montgomery's lawyers insisted that her actions were influenced by the severe mental illness she developed as a result of the extreme abuse she experienced during her early years.

They asserted that she was born with brain damage and was subject to both sexual and physical abuse by her stepfather and was exploited by her mother.

The turmoil she experienced at home forced her to marry young, at 18, but her marital life too was scarred by abuse.

Even after having four children, Montgomery underwent sterilization in 1990.

Her lawyers contend that the relentless violence and abuse she faced amounted to torture.

They also stated that she was in a state of psychosis and detached from reality when she committed the gruesome crime.

This case stirred differing viewpoints, with some advocating for her due to human rights concerns, opposing her execution.

However, Stinnett's family insisted that, mental health issues aside, Montgomery deserved the death penalty for her heinous act.

Montgomery had initially developed an online friendship with Stinnett due to their mutual interest in dogs.

She later visited Stinnett's residence, subdued her, strangled her, and forcibly removed the baby.

When the police discovered Montgomery, she was holding the newborn, leading them to initially believe that she had given birth the day before.

Eventually, the truth unfolded, and she admitted to the crime.

Montgomery's execution faced two delays, one owing to the pandemic, and the other because a judge paused it pending a mental competency hearing.