79-Year-Old Man Executed in Mississippi After Nearly 50 Years on Death Row

Mississippi, USA - Richard Jordan, a 79-year-old man, was executed in Mississippi on June 25, 2025, after spending nearly fifty years on death row. This somber event continues to stir debate about the future of capital punishment in the United States, a country where the practice remains deeply divisive.

Jordan was convicted in 1976 for the abduction and murder of Edwina Marter, the wife of a bank employee. The grisly details of the crime include Jordan kidnapping the 35-year-old from her home and demanding a ransom of $25,000. He was apprehended while attempting to retrieve the ransom and ultimately confessed to the murder. Marter’s body, tragically found in a wooded area, bore gunshot wounds, highlighting the severity of his actions. According to ksta.de, he became the 25th person executed this year, mirroring the total of executions from the previous year.

Interestingly, just a day before Jordan’s execution, Thomas Lee Gudinas was executed in Florida for the 1994 abduction and murder of Michelle McGrath. The state of Florida has seen a significant uptick in capital punishment, with seven executions recorded in 2025 alone.

The Legal and Ethical Controversy

Jordan’s legal struggles were extensive, with his death sentence being overturned three times due to constitutional issues. The last valid death sentence was issued in 1998, a troubling figure that shines a light on the complicated nature of the judicial process surrounding capital punishment. Jordan was also reported to have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his military service in Vietnam, a fact that was not fully assessed during his original sentencing processes, as noted by Amnesty International.

Despite the troubling circumstances surrounding his mental health, legislation in many states, including Mississippi, has remained a barrier to fair sentencing. Amnesty International urged the governor to convert Jordan’s death sentence into a life sentence, emphasizing the human rights implications of executing someone with possible mental health issues.

Current Landscape of Capital Punishment

With 23 of the 50 US states prohibiting capital punishment, and three others having suspended executions, Mississippi continues to maintain its stance, joining a troubling list of states where the death penalty is actively used. President Donald Trump has expressed his support for the death penalty, particularly for heinous crimes, suggesting an expansion of its applicability. His administration’s stance reflects a broader national conversation about crime and punishment, especially in the wake of rising violent crime rates in some areas.

As of June 2025, Jordan’s execution marked a resurgence of capital punishment in America, with 24 executions carried out this year alone, a number that is comparable to last year’s total. It is worth noting that the United States remains the only country in North and South America where executions are carried out, maintaining a controversial position in the global discourse on human rights and justice.

Even as Americans grapple with the complexities of justice, capital punishment continues to provoke strong emotions. The debate around effectiveness, morality, and human rights is ongoing, and cases like Richard Jordan’s only serve to intensify the dialogue.

For further information on Jordan’s execution and the implications of capital punishment in the United States, you can read more on Spiegel.