Ward was executed in Texas on March 22.

The 33-year-old was found guilty of killing a city worker when the pair got into a dispute over rubbish piling up outside Ward’s home in 2007.

The condemned man said in court that he was defending himself when he shot and killed Michael Walker, 47.

Before he was executed, Ward — who courts recognised as being mentally ill — pleaded his case one last time.

“This is wrong what’s happening,” he said. “This is not a capital case; it never was a capital case; I had never intended to do anything.”

Moments before he stopped breathing, he became confused,

“I know there’s something else I need to say, but I don’t know.”