COLUMBIA, S.C.—Death row inmate Stephen Bryant has elected to die by firing squad, selecting the method for his execution scheduled for November 14. The 44-year-old was convicted of the gruesome murder of Willard “TJ” Tietjen more than 20 years ago.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Bryant’s choice makes him the third man this year to select the firing squad, South Carolina’s newest method of execution, since the state resumed capital punishment in 2024 after a 13-year pause. Inmates are currently given a choice between lethal injection, the electric chair, and the firing squad.
The Gruesome Crime and Taunting Message
Bryant admitted to the fatal shooting of Tietjen, followed by acts of torture, including burning the victim’s eyes with cigarettes. Authorities said the killer then used Tietjen’s blood to paint a chilling message on the wall: “victem 4 in 2 weeks. catch me if u can.” Tietjen’s daughter testified that on her final call to her father, a strange voice answered and told her, “I killed him.”
Prosecutors alleged Bryant was a serial killer, also shooting and killing two other men he offered rides to, ambushing them as they relieved themselves on the side of rural roads during a weeks-long crime spree in October 2004.
Execution Protocol and Legal Challenges
Bryant’s execution will be carried out by three volunteers firing rifles from 15 feet away.
The impending execution is likely to renew legal scrutiny of the state’s firing squad protocol. Attorneys for the most recent man executed by the method claimed the shooters “nearly missed his heart,” causing prolonged suffering, with witnesses reporting the death took more than a minute. Prison officials have maintained that the protocol was followed, stating executioners are only required to hit the heart, not destroy it.
Bryant’s defense team previously argued he was struggling with severe trauma from childhood sexual abuse and self-medicating with drugs like meth before the killings.
