A Missouri inmate was executed Tuesday night for killing a man in a fit of rage over child support payments 16 years ago. Andre Cole, 52, became the third convicted killer put to death this year in Missouri, The Associated Press reported. His fate was sealed after the U.S. Supreme Court turned down several appeals, including one claiming Cole was mentally ill and unfit for execution. In 1998, Cole, who was $3,000 behind on child support payments, became angry when he learned that a payroll withholding order was issued to his employer, according to the prosecutor. Hours after the first deduction, Cole forced his way into his ex-wife's home and fatally stabbed Anthony Curtis, a friend who was visiting, during a confrontation. Curtis also stabbed his ex-wife Terri Cole who survived the attack. Both the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt the execution based on mental health concerns.
