Four years after Ledell Lee’s execution for the 1993 murder of Debra Reese, DNA from another person was found on the m.u.r.der w e a.pon, raising doubts about his conviction. Lee had been sentenced to death in 1995, with no physical evidence linking him directly to the crime. In 2020, Reese’s family denied reports that Lee had been seen near the crime scene. Before his execution in 2017, Lee maintained his innocence.

In 2021, new DNA evidence, commissioned by Lee’s family and organizations like the Innocence Project, revealed an unidentified person’s DNA on the w.e.a p on. Additionally, five hairs from the crime scene were tested, and Lee was excluded as the source. Lee’s sister expressed hope that further information would emerge, but these findings came too late to prevent his execution. Despite efforts to access DNA testing during appeals, the judge rejected the request, dismissing it as irrelevant.