OKLAHOMA CITY — A man from Oklahoma, convicted of the brutal murder of a 10-year-old girl, was executed by lethal injection on Thursday. This execution marked the country’s 25th and final execution of the year. The individual, identified as Kevin Ray Underwood, was pronounced dead at 10:14 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, coinciding with what would have been Underwood’s 45th birthday.
The state of Oklahoma employs a lethal injection protocol consisting of three drugs; the procedure starts with the sedative midazolam, followed by a paralytic agent, and concludes with a drug that induces cardiac arrest. As Underwood lay strapped to a gurney in the execution chamber, he extended his apologies to both the family of his victim, Jamie Rose Bolin, and to his own family for the “terrible things” he had done.
“I feel that executing me on my birthday, just days before Christmas, is a cruel act towards my family,” Underwood stated. He expressed remorse for his crimes, wishing he could undo his actions. When the execution process commenced at 10:04 a.m., he looked toward his family and legal team, including his mother. Shortly after, Underwood’s breathing began to falter, and he closed his eyes. A medical professional arrived to assess his condition at 10:09 a.m., confirmed that he was unconscious, and five minutes later, he was declared dead.
Underwood’s heinous crime occurred in 2006 when he lured Jamie into his home, subjected her to significant physical violence, and ultimately took her life. He confessed to investigators that he had planned to consume parts of her body after killing her. Jamie’s sister, Lori Pate, was one of several family members present to witness the execution. She expressed gratitude to the prosecution for their assistance in navigating the lengthy process from Jamie’s tragic death to Underwood’s execution.
“This doesn’t bring Jamie back, but it gives us a pathway to start healing and to honor her memory,” Pate commented. In a hearing held the previous week, all three members of the state’s Pardon and Parole Board unanimously decided against clemency for Underwood.
Underwood’s defense team contended that he had endured a significant history of trauma and mental health challenges, including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and severe mood disorders, which they argued warranted a reconsideration of his death sentence. However, prosecutors countered that while mental illness is a widespread issue, it does not excuse the harm inflicted upon innocent children.
In a last-ditch attempt to stay the execution, Underwood’s legal representatives petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that he had not been afforded a fair hearing before all five members of the Parole Board, citing the impact of recent resignations on the board’s composition. This appeal, too, was declined earlier on the day of the execution.