Mario McNeill – black, age 29

Sentenced to death in Cumberland County, North Carolina
By: a jury
Date of crime:  11/10/09
Prosecution’s case/defense response: The mother of 5-year-old Shaniya Twain handed her over to McNeill to settle a drug debt and then falsely reported her missing. McNeill sexually assaulted Shaniya, killed her, and dumped her body. McNeill had 3 prior assault convictions. At McNeill’s insistence, the defense presented no mitigation evidence.
Sources: Fayetteville Observer 5/30/13; Citizen-Times (Asheville, N.C. 5/29/13.