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Death row inmate who ate fried chicken dipped in victims' blood dead at 59

Missouri death row inmate Elroy Preston, 59, who dipped fried chicken into his stabbing victims' blood and then ate it, died at the state prison in Potosi Friday

Elroy Preston, his paraplegic brother Ervin, Preston’s girlfriend, and another couple, PeeWee Richardson and girlfriend Betty Klein, had been drinking extensively one night in 1980 in St. Louis when they argued about whether Richardson could have some fried chicken. Elroy Preston told Richardson and Klein he was going to kill them as soon as he took off his clothes so he wouldn’t get blood on them. He stabbed Richardson five times and nearly beheaded Klein.

Testimony later showed he then took some of the chicken, dipped it in their blood, and ate it enthusiastically.

Preston was initially scheduled to be executed 15 years ago, but state officials determined Preston no longer had the mental capacity to understand the punishment.