Dan Carden

Gov. Mike Braun will not exercise his authority to postpone or halt the scheduled execution of a southern Indiana man who raped and murdered a 15-year-old girl more than two decades ago.

The Republican chief executive declined to grant a stay of execution Monday to Roy Lee Ward, 53, who is set to be put to death by the state prior to sunrise Oct. 10 at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.

"After carefully reviewing the unanimous recommendation from the State Parole Board, I have decided to allow the execution of Roy Lee Ward to proceed as planned for October 10," Braun said.

Barring a last-minute legal reprieve, Ward will be strapped to a gurney and the drug pentobarbital will be injected into his body to cause him to stop breathing and die.

Last week, the Indiana S

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