Convicted killer Donald Palmer, 47, of Martins Ferry, is scheduled to be executed Thursday by lethal injection at the state prison in Lucasville, Ohio.

Palmer was convicted of the 1989 killings of Steven Vargo and Charles Sponhaltz in Belmont County.

According to protocols released Wednesday by the Ohio Department of Corrections, Palmer will be served a "special meal" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. He'll then be allowed a "contact" visit with members of his family until 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Palmer will spend Wednesday night in a holding cell where he will have access to a television, a radio and the holy book of his choice. Palmer has told reporters he is Christian.

Palmer is allowed a final "non-contact" visit with members of his family on Thursday from 6:30 a.m.  until 8 a.m. After that, he's allowed a 45-minute visit with a spiritual advisor and his legal counsel.

He'll then walk approximately 17 steps to the execution chamber where he will be strapped to the lethal injection bed. Tubes will be attached to Heparin locks in his right and left arms.

Witnesses from the victims' families and a selected group of reporters will be in one viewing area, while witnesses from Palmer's family will be a separate, adjacent room.

A prison warden will provide a microphone through which Palmer can make a final statement.

A medical team will then remotely administer three intravenous drugs from a nearby "control room." The first drug will put Palmer to sleep, a second will stop his breathing and a third will stop his heart. The sequence of drugs should kill Palmer within six minutes.

A physician will examine Palmer's body to confirm his death. His body will be taken to a nearby funeral home from which his family can make burial arrangements.

A brief news conference will follow, at which all witnesses will be able to make statements to the media.

NEWS9's Eric Minor will be present at that media briefing and will provide continuing coverage Thursday.