Mississippi Man Who Spent Nearly 50 Years On Death Row Executed
Richard Jordan, 79, was convicted in 1976 of the murder of Edwina Marter, the wife of a bank executive in the town of Gulfport.
Jordan, a shipyard worker, kidnapped Marter from her home and demanded a $25,000 ransom.
He was apprehended when he went to pick up the money.
Jordan confessed to murdering Marter and led the authorities to her body, which had been hidden in a forest. She had been shot.
Jordan was pronounced dead at 6:16 pm Central Time (2316 GMT) at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, according to a statement issued by the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
He was Mississippi's longest-serving and oldest death row inmate at the time of his execution, the statement said.
His execution came one day after that of Thomas Gudinas, 51, who was put to death by lethal injection in Florida on Tuesday.
Gudinas was sentenced to death in 1995 for the murder of Michelle McGrath, who was last seen leaving a bar in the city of Orlando in the early hours.
McGrath's battered body was found the next day and Gudinas was arrested shortly afterwards.
Florida has carried out more executions -- seven -- than any other US state so far this year.
The execution in Mississippi was the first in the southern state since December 2022.
There have been 25 executions in the United States this year: 20 by lethal injection, two by firing squad and three by nitrogen hypoxia, which involves pumping nitrogen gas into a face mask, causing the prisoner to suffocate.
The use of nitrogen gas as an execution method has been denounced by United Nations experts as cruel and inhumane.
The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others -- California, Oregon and Pennsylvania -- have moratoriums in place.
President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment, and on his first day in office called for an expansion of its use "for the vilest crimes."
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About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Ghaziabad view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 23, 2025, 15:33 IST News india 'Diplomat' Of Nowhere: How One Man Turned A Ghaziabad Bungalow Into A Fake Embassy Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
