State of Tennessee has Scheduled the Execution of Tony Carruthers, But His Lawyers say There is No Physical Evidence

The state of Tennessee has scheduled the execution of Tony Carruthers for May 21, 2026. The execution date was set last year following an order issued by the Supreme Court of Tennessee.

Since the execution was scheduled, however, several legal and procedural questions have reportedly been raised regarding the case and the circumstances surrounding the planned execution.

Bill Lee said in a statement issued on May 19 that he would not intervene to stop the execution of Tony Carruthers. “After deliberate consideration of Tony Carruthers’ request for clemency and after a thorough review of the case, I'm upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene,” Lee stated.

Carruthers’ attorneys, however, have argued that there is no physical evidence directly linking him to the crime. They also contend that the courts refused requests to conduct additional DNA and fingerprint testing and declined to rule him mentally incompetent.

Supporters and defense advocates for Carruthers have additionally questioned the fairness of the original trial and conviction, arguing that the case relied heavily on testimony from jailhouse informants.

Tony Carruthers, now 57 years old, was convicted in connection with the murders and kidnappings of Marcellos Anderson, his mother Delois Anderson, and Frederick Taylor.

According to court documents, “In 1994, Tony Carruthers and James Montgomery were charged with first-degree murder of three people. All of them were buried alive beneath a casket in a Memphis cemetery.”

Court records also stated that Marcellos Anderson allegedly sold drugs, wore expensive jewelry and was known for carrying large amounts of cash. Investigators reportedly found no jewelry or money on his body after the killings.

According to court records, Marcellos Anderson was a friend of Tony Carruthers and had reportedly given him $200 after Carruthers was released from prison in an earlier case. Prosecutors alleged that Carruthers later told fellow inmates he had a “master plan” to kill Anderson and steal his money.

Authorities said that in February 1994, Carruthers and James Montgomery kidnapped Anderson, his mother Delois Anderson, and Frederick Taylor. The three victims were never seen alive again.

The police worked on a tip and dug up a grave at Rose Hill Cemetery on Elvis Presley Boulevard. Under a casket and a wooden vault, they found the three bodies of Anderson, his mother, and Taylor.

The court document mentioned that there was no evidence to suggest that the casket was disturbed after the bodies were buried. “Thus, it can be inferred that the bodies of the three victims were placed in the grave and covered with dirt and a piece of plywood prior to the casket being placed.”

A campaign to end the death penalty in Tennessee has highlighted certain points that question the fairness of the trial. There was no physical evidence found linking Carruthers to the murders; fingerprints and DNA from the crime scene don’t match Carruthers.

One of the individuals who was involved in the murder has said that Carruthers was not involved in the murder and has pointed his finger towards another individual named Ronnie Irving.

However, most importantly, Carruthers had a severe mental illness, and he was forced by the court to represent himself. “Because Tony didn’t have a lawyer, key aspects of the prosecution’s case went unchallenged, including the circumstantial evidence surrounding the witness statements and his relationship with the state.”

His attorney has also raised the point that his convictions were based solely on circumstantial evidence. Another serious issue has been raised where the lawyers fear that the state is going to use expired drugs for his execution. The court has not been able to give any direct answers in this context.