Georgia executes former Navy crewman

ATLANTA – Georgia has executed a former Navy crewman for killing a fellow sailor whose dismembered remains were found in two states.

Authorities say Travis Hittson was pronounced dead at 8:14 p.m. Wednesday following a lethal injection at the state prison in Jackson. The 45-year-old inmate was convicted in the April 1992 killing of fellow sailor Conway Utterbeck.

Court documents show Hittson, then stationed in Pensacola, Florida, went with Utterbeck and fellow sailor Edward Vollmer to the home of Vollmer’s parents in Warner Robins, Georgia. Hittson and Vollmer went out drinking and killed Utterbeck upon returning home, dismembering his body with the saw.

Hittson’s attorneys had sought clemency, arguing that Hittson was very remorseful and had been manipulated by Vollmer to kill Utterbeck. Vollmer, who reached a plea deal with prosecutors, is serving a life sentence for the killing.