Ralph LeRoy Menzies, who spent more than 37 years on Utah’s death row for kidnapping and killing a young mother in 1986, died on Wednesday at an area hospital, prison officials announced. He was 67.

Menzies — who was once just days away from a violent death by firing squad — died of presumed natural causes, prison officials said. He had vascular dementia, and his health had declined in recent years to the point where his defense team questioned whether Utah officials could legally execute him.

“Ralph Menzies was deeply loved by his family, friends, legal team, and by everyone who knew him well,” his lawyers said in a statement Wednesday. “In his later years, he devoted himself to helping others in every way he could. We’re grateful that Ralph passed naturally and maintained his spiritedn

See Full Page