Georgia Supreme Court denies stay of execution for condemned Houston County killer

The Georgia Supreme Court has unanimously denied a stay of execution for condemned Houston County killer Travis Clinton Hittson.

Hittson, a 45-year-old Navy veteran, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison near Jackson.

In March 1993, Hittson, then 22, was sentenced to death for the slaying of 20-year-old Conway C. Utterbeck the previous year while the two were on military leave in Houston County. Another shipmate, Edward Paul Vollmer, also was charged with murder, but he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole as part of a plea bargain.

In addition to denying Hittson's motion for a stay of execution, the state Supreme Court also denied his request to appeal a ruling Tuesday by the Butts County Superior Court.

The Butts County Superior Court both denied his motion for a stay and dismissed his claim that at his trial, the Houston County Superior Court had improperly allowed in testimony from the State's psychologist, according to a news release from the High Court.

During a mental health evaluation, the psychologist said that Hittson described the victim as "a hillbilly" and used a profane word to also describe him, the release said. Hittson claimed that prosecution's psychologist should not have been permitted to testify about his statements because Hittson chose not to present his own expert testimony.

Meanwhile, the state Board of Pardons and Paroles has decided that codefendant Vollmer won't be considered for parole again until the year 2024, according to a board news release.

Vollmer was sentenced to life with parole eligibility. Vollmer was originally to be reconsidered by the board in 2020.

As a result of information the board received during Tuesday's clemency hearing for Hittson, the board decided to act now, reconsidered Vollmer's case, denied parole, and set his next reconsideration date for the maximum set off of eight years.

Legally, the board must give periodic reviews to inmates who are parole eligible. Vollmer was last considered and denied parole in 2015.

In the release, board Chairman Terry Barnard said Vollmer's participation in the murder of Utterbeck is clear.

"Vollmer's culpability is not questionable ... The board is taking the strongest action available to it in Vollmer's case."

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Georgia Supreme Court denies stay of execution for condemned Houston County killer ."