by BONNE TERRE, Mo. – The state of Missouri conducted its first execution of 2025 on Tuesday evening, putting 48-year-old Lance Shockley to death for the 2005 killing of a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer. The execution took place at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, marking another step in the state’s continued use of capital punishment amid growing national debate over its fairness and use.
Execution Details Confirmed by State Officials
According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, Shockley was executed by lethal injection starting at 6 p.m. CST and pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. The procedure occurred without incident, officials said in a statement emailed to the press shortly afterward.
Shockley had been convicted of the first-degree murder of Sgt. Carl DeWayne Graham Jr., a 37-year-old highway patrol officer, who was found shot dead outside his home in 2005. At the time, Sgt. Graham was investigating Shockley in a separate manslaughter case linked to a fatal car crash in November 2004.
Shockley’s Final Moments and Last Statement
Before his death, Shockley met with his two daughters and a friend, ending his visits late Tuesday morning. His final meal included peanut butter, oatmeal, water, and two sports drinks, according to prison officials.
In his final words, Shockley quoted a Bible verse:
“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
He continued to maintain his innocence throughout the trial and appeals process.
Governor Denies Clemency Request
On Monday, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe denied Shockley’s request for clemency, stating that the justice system had provided “every legal protection afforded” under both state and federal law.
“Mr. Shockley’s conviction and sentence will remain for his brutal, deliberate crime,” Kehoe said. “The State of Missouri has — and will continue to — pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.”
The governor’s decision cleared the final barrier for the execution to move forward after years of appeals and reviews by state and federal courts.
Advocates Raise Questions About the Case
Amnesty International USA and other anti-death penalty groups condemned the execution, citing what they described as “serious flaws” in the case and circumstantial evidence used for conviction.
“Gov. Kehoe’s refusal to grant Lance Shockley clemency or appoint a Board of Inquiry is unconscionable,” Amnesty International said in a statement following his death.
Shockley’s lawyers had petitioned for a DNA test of evidence before his execution, arguing that it could prove his innocence. However, both the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the appeals, with the state’s high court ruling that “the circumstantial evidence was strong, and his sentence was proportionate.”
Legal Battles Over Religious Rights
In a separate legal effort, Shockley’s attorneys sought permission for his two daughters — both ordained ministers — to serve as spiritual advisors during the execution. Court filings show that one daughter planned to perform communion while the other would anoint him with oil and pray over him.
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However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit denied the request, stating that it did not impose a “substantial burden” on his religious freedom.
Broader Context: Death Penalty in the U.S.
Shockley’s death came on the same day that Florida executed 72-year-old Samuel Lee Smithers, convicted of killing two women in 1996. Smithers’ execution marked Florida’s 14th this year, setting a new state record for executions in a single year since capital punishment resumed in 1976.
With Shockley’s execution, Missouri has now carried out over 100 executions since 1976. The state currently has seven men on death row, five of whom are eligible for execution.
As of mid-October 2025, 37 executions have been carried out nationwide, highlighting a year of renewed activity in the U.S. death penalty system despite mounting calls for reform.
What are your thoughts on Missouri’s continued use of the death penalty? Should older cases based on circumstantial evidence be re-evaluated? Share your opinion in the comments at race-day-live.com.
