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A biological male now claims mental illness since being put on death row. Scott McLaughlin will be executed in Missouri January 3 for the brutal rape and murder of his ex-girlfriend Beverly Guenther. November 20, 2003 he raped then stabbed 45-year-old Guenther before dumping her body near the Mississippi river. Guenther had filed a restraining order on McLaughlin for stalking her last summer.
Been mental for some time
McLaughlin was also abusive and was scheduled to appear in court the day after Guenther went missing. McLaughlin is now 49 and claims an enormous amount of abuse in his childhood. He was in and out of foster care.
He’s asked the Republican Missouri Governor Mike Parson for clemency due to his mental problems. He sent a letter to the governor claiming one foster parent rubbed excrement in his face. An adoptive father used a taser on him.
Mental illness can come from abuse
Fetal alcohol syndrome is also in the mix that he suffers from. Suicide and depression are regularly on his mind. He said, “People should know I’m mentally ill.”
The date of initial gender transition treatment isn’t clear but he was going by the name of “Scott” and maintained male appearance as late as 2017.
Mental illness in court
In 2006 McLaughlin was convicted by jury of first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and forcible rape but that jury couldn’t decide on the sentence. A judge settled it by proclaiming the death sentence.
He was taken off that sentence by a federal judge in 2016 but in 2021 the sentence was reinstated. He had already served five years for sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl. Five inmates have been executed in the state since Parsons took office. He didn’t grant clemency.
