South Carolina — Some monsters think they can outsmart justice, but not today. In a case that sounds like something straight out of a horror movie, 44-year-old Stephen Bryant is scheduled to be executed on November 14 for the brutal murder of Willard "TJ" Tietjen, a crime so twisted that it involved burning the victim’s eyes with cigarettes and leaving a taunting message written in blood. Yes, you read that correctly. Bryant left "catch me if u can" on a wall — painted with Tietjen’s blood, no less. As if this guy needed more reasons to be put away for good.
The death warrant was issued Friday after the South Carolina Supreme Court rejected Bryant’s lawyers’ request for a delay, citing the government shutdown. Apparently, Bryant’s defense team thinks the shutdown should give him a break. But here’s the thing: justice waits for no one — not even the ones who think they can outlast the system.
Bryant, who’s been sitting on death row for over 20 years, wasn’t just linked to one murder. He also shot two other men in cold blood after they got out of his car to urinate by the side of the road in Sumter County back in 2004. So yeah, let’s not pretend this is some isolated incident. This man is a walking nightmare who clearly had no qualms about taking life.
Bryant confessed to the murder of Tietjen after showing up at his home, claiming car trouble. After killing him, Bryant lit candles around the body and wrote more taunting messages in blood, including "victem 4 in 2 weeks. catch me if u can." Yep, that’s right — not just a killer, but a self-proclaimed monster who thought he could outsmart everyone.
Tietjen’s daughter, Kimberly Dees, testified that when she called her father, a strange voice picked up and said, “I killed him.” If that doesn’t send chills down your spine, I don’t know what will. That voice belonged to Bryant, and it’s clear that his sick game was just beginning.
And while his attorneys may try to paint a picture of a troubled man who suffered abuse as a child, let’s not forget what this guy did. Sure, abuse doesn’t justify murder, but it doesn’t erase the fact that Bryant’s actions were those of someone who lost all sense of humanity long ago.
Now, as the clock ticks down, Bryant must decide how he wants to die: lethal injection, firing squad, or the electric chair. Considering the state’s recent history with firing squads, it might be more painful than he’d like to think. But it’s no sympathy from me — this is a man who thought he was untouchable, and justice is finally catching up with him.
At the end of the day, one less monster is about to be removed from the streets. This execution is a reminder that justice doesn’t sleep, and those who think they can evade it... eventually, it catches them. May Tietjen rest in peace, and may his family finally find some closure.
