Mississippi executes Richard Jordan; on death row for nearly 50 years
June 25 (UPI) -- Richard Jordan, the longest-serving death row inmate in Mississippi's history, Richard Jordan, was executed Wednesday night at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman.
Jordan, 79, was convicted and sentenced to death for the Jan. 12, 1976, kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter, who was a stay-at-home mother of two young sons.
It was Mississippi's first execution in three years. No other executions in Mississippi are scheduled this year, according to the MDOC website.
He died by lethal injection and the time of death was 6:16 p.m. CDT, the Mississippi Department of Corrections said. The procedure by lethal injection began at 6 p.m. He was strapped to a gurney with his arms spread out and covered in a white sheet up to his neck, the Clarion Ledge reported.
Jordan was surrounded by four Mississippi Department of Corrections officials.
Marc McClure, the regional superintendent, asked Jordan if he had any last words.
"First I would like to thank everyone here for a humane way of doing this," Jordan said as he looked at the ceiling. "I wish to apologize to the family. I ask that you forgive me for what I did, not forget, but forgive."
Jordan then thanked his lawyer and his wife, Marsha, who was sitting and sobbing in the front-row behind the glass viewing area. Marsha was with Krissy Nobile, director of the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, and Tim Murphy, Jordan's spiritual adviser.
"I love you," Jordan said. "See you on the other side, all of you. Thank you."
The execution was carried out on an order from the Mississippi Supreme Court issued on May 1.
Jordan was one of three on Mississippi's death row suing the state's three-drug protocol.
The execution occurred about six months short of Jordan's 50th year in prison, and he sought a stay of execution. Jordan was first sentenced on July 21, 1976, followed by 1977, 1983, and 1998 in separate trials.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Jordan's remaining appeals Wednesday afternoon, and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves denied Jordan's request for clemency.
Jordan chose chicken tenders, fries, strawberry ice cream and a root beer float for his last meal at 4 p.m., the Clarion Ledger reported.
Previously he visited with his family, lawyers and spiritual advisers.
He moved to a holding cell at 6 p.m. Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization that tracks executions throughout the U.S.
Jordan's execution is the 25th in the U.S. this year. On Tuesday, Florida executed Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison. It was Florida's seventh of 2025 - the most of any state.
Besides lethal injection, three are methods are available: nitrogen hypoxia, electrocution and firing squad.
In 2015, a federal judge issued a temporary halt of executions in Mississippi in response to a complaint by death row inmates who say the state's lethal injection protocol is "excruciating." Sedatives pentobarbital and midazolam had been used.
In 2021, Mississippi carried out the execution of David Cox by lethal injection, the first one in nearly a decade using midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride.
These are the current drugs used.
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