Pope Francis also joined thousands in the religious community who had appealed on behalf of Kelly Gissendaner. She was executed in Georgia Wednesday (September 30). Many supporters held a prayer vigil outside the prison as the execution took place. Gissendaner was convicted of conspiring to murder her husband in 1997. While behind bars, she embraced Christianity and earned a certificate in theological studies from Emory University. She led an active spiritual ministry among her fellow prisoners.