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Ohatchee, AL - The family of an East Alabama woman killed in 1982 shares their story just before her convicted murderer is scheduled to die. James Harvey Callahan is on death row for the abduction and murder of 26-year old Rebecca Suzanne Howell. Barring any last minute reprieve from the U.S. Supreme Court Callahan will be executed at 6 p.m. And this Thursday morning relatives of his victim spoke exclusively with ABC 33/40.
Beth Coheley, the victim's mother, says "It's something you don't forget. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas... we miss her. It's just an ongoing thing. That's the reason these appeals have been so hurtful to us. We think finally the closure we need - not just want- will be forthcoming."
The victim's sister, Donna Wood, explains "It's the justice that Becky finally deserves. We've waited a long time."
Her stepfther call it "An ending. One chapter is over and we'll just move on to another chapter. It's just all these appeals and trials... it's just like scratching a sore. It just hurts more and more and more. At least we won't have to scratch this sore again."
Wood explains, "Whenever we have to deal with an issue that involved Callahan - if it's a hearing, a trial, if it's another appeal - that forces us to think about the way she died and the way she died is devastating."
To her mother, "It's what he took from us. And he hasn't paid for it yet and life's pretty important."
Coheley has - in a way - lived through this before. A year ago she traveled to Holman Prison in Atmore only to learn that Callahan had been granted a stay one hour and ten
minutes before the execution.
Callahan is scheduled for death by lethal injection at 6 p.m. Thursday night.
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