Media Advisory

Thursday, December 11, 2025 | 10:41am

NASHVILLE – Today, by order of the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Department of Correction carried out the death sentence of Harold Wayne Nichols by means of lethal injection at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. Inmate Nichols was pronounced dead at 10:39 a.m.

His last words were: “To the people I’ve harmed, I’m sorry. To my family, know that I love you. I know where I’m going to. I’m ready to go home.”

Included is a photo of Karen Pulley and the statement from her family.

Photo of Karen Pulley
Photo of Victim Statement (page 1) - December 2025 - Jeff & Lisette (Pulley) Monroe - My name is Jeff Monroe. I am Karen Pulley’s brother-in-law. My wife Lisette is Karen’s sister. Lisette was planning on being here but changed her mind at the last minute, it was just too difficult emotionally for her to attend. Karen and Lisette’s parents, Ann and Chuck, passed away years ago. Lisette, our daughters, and other family members that could not be here are having a celebration of life for Karen today. We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the officers and detectives of the Chattanooga Police Department and in particular Detective Richard Heck, also the team at the Attorney General’s office, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections, for their tireless efforts to seek justice for Karen. Their dedication has meant more to us than we know how to express. We have waited for 37 years with the hope that justice would be delivered. Taking a life is serious and we take no pleasure in it. However, the victims—and there were many—were carefully stalked and attacked. The crimes—and there were many--were deliberate, violent, and horrific. Nichols was a violent perpetrator who hunted his victims, stalked them, and then attacked vulnerable women in the most sadistic ways. Our family was destroyed by evil that night in September 1988, when Karen was raped and violently beaten to death in her own bedroom, left to die alone, terribly injured, broken, bleeding, and terrified. Karen was 20, had just finished Bible school, and was attending Chattanooga State to become a paralegal. She had been a cheerleader at Brainerd Baptist High School. Karen was bubbly, happy, selfless, and looking forward to the life before her. She was excited about spending time with her sister and holding her niece for the first time.
Photo of Victim Statement (page 2) - I was serving in the Air Force at the time. Lisette and I had been in the Philippines for three years and had returned to the States weeks earlier. Karen died before we could get to Chattanooga. The responding EMT, a Vietnam medic, said he had never seen anything like it, even in combat. No punishment can ever atone for the loss of Karen’s life or the damage done to our family. Nor is there a punishment that can heal the many victims and families forever broken, battered, and scarred by this man. But this is a start. We are relieved that this nightmare is over and take comfort knowing he never again will be able to harm anyone else. Moving forward our family will concentrate on the happy memories of Karen and will never again be re-traumatized by this monster. To his other victims: Our hearts go out to you. We pray that God grants you peace and healing from the trauma inflicted on you. Thank you