Convicted killer Richard Jordan, the state’s longest-serving and oldest loss of life row inmate, has been executed. Mississippi Division of Corrections (MDOC) officers say he died by deadly injection on the Mississippi State Penitentiary at 6:16 p.m. The execution procedures started at 6 p.m., and Jordan, 79, was pronounced lifeless at 6:16 p.m. CDT. The Mississippi Division of Corrections carried out the order of the Mississippi Supreme Court docket issued on Could 1, 2025. The execution occurred after a number of appeals from Jordan’s attorneys, together with to the Fifth Circuit Court docket and the U.S. Supreme Court docket, had been denied.Jordan was sentenced to loss of life in Jackson County Circuit Court docket for the kidnapping and homicide of Edwina Marter, 35. She was a married mom of two. She was house along with her 3-year-old son when Jordan, posing as {an electrical} repairman, kidnapped her at gunpoint on January 13, 1976.Mississippi Supreme Court docket information present that Jordan, who was a Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress dysfunction, known as the Gulf Nationwide Financial institution in Gulfport and requested to talk with a mortgage officer. After he was advised that Charles Marter may converse to him, he hung up. He then regarded up the Marters’ house tackle in a phone e-book and kidnapped Edwina Marter.In line with courtroom information, Jordan took her to a forest and fatally shot her earlier than calling her husband, claiming she was protected and demanding $25,000.MDOC officers say Jordan’s final meal would include hen tenders, French fries, strawberry ice cream and a root beer float.When given a chance to make a remaining assertion Wednesday, he stated, “First I want to thank everybody for a humane approach of doing this. I wish to apologize to the sufferer’s household.”He additionally thanked his legal professionals and his spouse and requested for forgiveness. His final phrases had been: “I’ll see you on the opposite aspect, all of you.”Jordan’s spouse, Marsha Jordan, witnessed the execution, alongside along with his lawyer Krissy Nobile and a non secular adviser, the Rev. Tim Murphy. His spouse and lawyer dabbed their eyes a number of occasions.His execution comes after the U.S. Supreme Court docket denied an software for a keep of execution earlier Wednesday.Orders from the courtroom got here simply hours earlier than Richard Jordan was scheduled to be executed.Jordan filed for the petition Wednesday, asking the U.S. Supreme Court docket to grant a keep of execution.He argued that the three-drug protocol the state makes use of for deadly injection can be merciless and weird punishment, violating the U.S. Structure.Jordan was certainly one of a number of on the state’s loss of life row who sued the state over its three-drug execution protocol, claiming it’s inhumane.This remaining petition was certainly one of a number of authorized efforts revamped the almost 50 years Jordan has tried since he was convicted. The state stated about Wednesday’s petition in an official courtroom submitting, “Petitioner’s declare is meritless and doesn’t warrant additional assessment,” and {that a} last-minute keep must be denied. Marc McClure, Mississippi State Penitentiary superintendent, stated that Jordan visited with household, legal professionals and non secular advisers Wednesday and that relations can be allowed to stick with him till 4 p.m., when he was provided his requested final meal. Forward of the execution, Eric Marter, who was 11 when his mom was killed, stated neither he, his brother, nor his father would attend the execution, however different relations had been anticipated to be there.“It ought to have occurred a very long time in the past,” he stated of the execution. “I’m not likely curious about giving him the good thing about the doubt.” Throughout a information convention after the execution, Keith Degruy, a spokesperson for Marter’s household, learn a press release on behalf of her two sons and husband, who weren’t current on the execution.“Nothing will convey again our mother, sister and our buddy. Nothing can ever change what Jordan took from us 49 years in the past. Jordan tried desperately to vary his ruling so he can merely die in jail. We by no means had an possibility,” he stated.Jordan’s execution was the third within the state within the final 10 years; beforehand the newest one was carried out in December 2022. It got here a day after a person was put to loss of life in Florida, in what’s shaping as much as be a 12 months with probably the most executions since 2015.Demise Penalty Motion stated Jordan served three excursions of responsibility with the U.S. Military in Vietnam and was severely traumatized after serving.Regardless of public petitions, Gov. Tate Reeves stated the execution would proceed as scheduled and that “justice can be carried out.”The Related Press contributed to this report.
Convicted killer Richard Jordan, the state’s longest-serving and oldest loss of life row inmate, has been executed. Mississippi Division of Corrections (MDOC) officers say he died by deadly injection on the Mississippi State Penitentiary at 6:16 p.m.
The execution procedures started at 6 p.m., and Jordan, 79, was pronounced lifeless at 6:16 p.m. CDT. The Mississippi Division of Corrections carried out the order of the Mississippi Supreme Court docket issued on Could 1, 2025. The execution occurred after a number of appeals from Jordan’s attorneys, together with to the Fifth Circuit Court docket and the U.S. Supreme Court docket, had been denied.
Jordan was sentenced to loss of life in Jackson County Circuit Court docket for the kidnapping and homicide of Edwina Marter, 35. She was a married mom of two. She was house along with her 3-year-old son when Jordan, posing as {an electrical} repairman, kidnapped her at gunpoint on January 13, 1976.
Mississippi Supreme Court docket information present that Jordan, who was a Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress dysfunction, known as the Gulf Nationwide Financial institution in Gulfport and requested to talk with a mortgage officer. After he was advised that Charles Marter may converse to him, he hung up. He then regarded up the Marters’ house tackle in a phone e-book and kidnapped Edwina Marter.
In line with courtroom information, Jordan took her to a forest and fatally shot her earlier than calling her husband, claiming she was protected and demanding $25,000.
MDOC officers say Jordan’s final meal would include hen tenders, French fries, strawberry ice cream and a root beer float.
When given a chance to make a remaining assertion Wednesday, he stated, “First I want to thank everybody for a humane approach of doing this. I wish to apologize to the sufferer’s household.”
He additionally thanked his legal professionals and his spouse and requested for forgiveness. His final phrases had been: “I’ll see you on the opposite aspect, all of you.”
Jordan’s spouse, Marsha Jordan, witnessed the execution, alongside along with his lawyer Krissy Nobile and a non secular adviser, the Rev. Tim Murphy. His spouse and lawyer dabbed their eyes a number of occasions.
His execution comes after the U.S. Supreme Court docket denied an software for a keep of execution earlier Wednesday.
Orders from the courtroom got here simply hours earlier than Richard Jordan was scheduled to be executed.
Jordan filed for the petition Wednesday, asking the U.S. Supreme Court docket to grant a keep of execution.
He argued that the three-drug protocol the state makes use of for deadly injection can be merciless and weird punishment, violating the U.S. Structure.
Jordan was certainly one of a number of on the state’s loss of life row who sued the state over its three-drug execution protocol, claiming it’s inhumane.
This remaining petition was certainly one of a number of authorized efforts revamped the almost 50 years Jordan has tried since he was convicted.
The state stated about Wednesday’s petition in an official courtroom submitting, “Petitioner’s declare is meritless and doesn’t warrant additional assessment,” and {that a} last-minute keep must be denied.
Marc McClure, Mississippi State Penitentiary superintendent, stated that Jordan visited with household, legal professionals and non secular advisers Wednesday and that relations can be allowed to stick with him till 4 p.m., when he was provided his requested final meal.
Forward of the execution, Eric Marter, who was 11 when his mom was killed, stated neither he, his brother, nor his father would attend the execution, however different relations had been anticipated to be there.
“It ought to have occurred a very long time in the past,” he stated of the execution. “I’m not likely curious about giving him the good thing about the doubt.”
Throughout a information convention after the execution, Keith Degruy, a spokesperson for Marter’s household, learn a press release on behalf of her two sons and husband, who weren’t current on the execution.
“Nothing will convey again our mother, sister and our buddy. Nothing can ever change what Jordan took from us 49 years in the past. Jordan tried desperately to vary his ruling so he can merely die in jail. We by no means had an possibility,” he stated.
Jordan’s execution was the third within the state within the final 10 years; beforehand the newest one was carried out in December 2022. It got here a day after a person was put to loss of life in Florida, in what’s shaping as much as be a 12 months with probably the most executions since 2015.
Demise Penalty Motion stated Jordan served three excursions of responsibility with the U.S. Military in Vietnam and was severely traumatized after serving.
Regardless of public petitions, Gov. Tate Reeves stated the execution would proceed as scheduled and that “justice can be carried out.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
