NASHVILLE, Tennessee — The state of Tennessee on Thursday executed Harold Wayne Nichols, carrying out a death sentence nearly four decades after the brutal killing of 20-year-old Karen Pulley, the Tennessee Department of Correction announced in a media advisory .

Nichols, 64, was pronounced dead at 10:39 a.m. Thursday at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution following an order from the Tennessee Supreme Court, the advisory said.

Before the lethal injection was administered, Nichols delivered final words from the death chamber.

“To the people I’ve harmed, I’m sorry,” he said, adding to his family, “know that I love you.” He ended with, “I know where I’m going to. I’m ready to go home.”

Pulley’s family, who provided a written statement included with the advisory, said they had waited

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