Jessie Hoffman’s and His Victim’s Family Members Speak Out Following His Nitrogen Gas Execution

Family members of both executed death row inmate Jessie Hoffman Jr. and Mary “Molly” Elliott, the woman Hoffman was convicted of raping and murdering, issued statements Tuesday night in the wake of his death — Louisiana’s first nitrogen gas execution.

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Hoffman’s death sentence was handed down in 1998, two years after he abducted Elliott, a 28-year-old advertising executive, and shot her to death in rural St. Tammany Parish.

Ahead of the execution, Andy Elliott, Molly’s husband, said he felt conflicted, saying in a statement that Hoffman’s death would not bring him closure.

Molly’s sister-in-law, Kate Murphy also sent a last-minute plea to Louisiana government officials asking them to grant Hoffman a reprieve and give her the opportunity to meet with him. That request was denied.

In the hours before his execution, Hoffman’s family, including his wife Ilona Hoffman and sister Florence Ruffin, visited with him as he awaited his death. No members of Hoffman’s family were present during his execution.

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Ilona Hoffman

“Today, the State of Louisiana took the life of my husband, Jessie Hoffman. But no execution can erase the truth of who he was — a beautiful soul who inspired many.

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Jessie was failed by the system from the very beginning. As a child, he was left without the care, protection, and guidance that every child deserves. The system neglected him when he needed help the most, setting him on a path where survival often came before anything else. But despite that, he grew, he changed, and he became a man full of love, wisdom, and redemption. And yet, when he finally became the person he was always meant to be, that same broken system failed him again. It refused to recognize his transformation, choosing vengeance over justice.

Jessie was not defined by his worst moment. He was an incredible father to his son, a loyal friend, and the most amazing husband. He changed my life in ways I can never put into words, filling it with love, strength, and meaning. Our love was something rare and unbreakable, a bond that transcends this life. No matter where he is now, I know he is still with me, because love like ours doesn’t end—it only transforms.

This execution was not justice. It was revenge. True justice recognizes growth, humanity, and redemption. Louisiana chose to ignore that.

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(Left) Mary “Molly” Elliott. (Right) Jessie Hoffman, Jr.