Tennessee Carries Out Execution of ‘Red-Haired Stranger’ for 1988 Homicide

Tennessee executed Harold Wayne Nichols, also known as the “Red-Haired Stranger,” at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Nichols, 64, was convicted of the 1988 and of 20-year-old Karen Pulley in Chattanooga. His criminal record began in 1984 with arrests for burglary and assault. After serving 18 months and being paroled, he married Joanne and had a child, only to be arrested again in 1987 for parole violations.

Following his release in June 1988, Nichols committed several ual assaults in Chattanooga, with Pulley being his first known victim. On September 30, 1988, he brutally ed and d her in her home; she d shortly afterward. Nichols’s crime spree continued until his arrest on January 5, 1989, aided by a tip-off. He later confessed to Pulley’s and additional assaults.

In May 1990, Nichols pleaded guilty to charges including first-degree felony and was sentenced to death. His appeals were unsuccessful, and a series of delays affected his execution date due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ces in lethal injection protocols.

In December 2024, Tennessee approved a new execution procedure, and Nichols was rescheduled for execution. His defense team attempted to secure clemency through the governor and had a lawsuit regarding lethal injection protocols, but both efforts failed. Pulley’s sister, witnessing the execution, expressed support for the decision, while some religious leaders called for leniency, citing Nichols’s remorse.

For his final meal, Nichols requested beef brisket and other items. He was executed by lethal injection at 10:39 a.m. on December 11, 2025, leaving behind a message of remorse for those he harmed.