Mississippi carried out the execution of its longest-serving death row inmate, 79-year-old Richard Jordan, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Jordan, who was sentenced to death for a murder and kidnapping nearly five decades ago, was executed at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, a high-security prison also known as Parchman.
Details of the Execution
According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), Jordan’s execution by lethal injection started at 6 p.m. local time and he was pronounced dead just 16 minutes later. He had been the oldest and longest-serving person on death row in Mississippi.
Jordan, a Vietnam War veteran who reportedly suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), had tried to appeal his sentence several times. His attorneys even brought his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, but all appeals were denied. His legal team also challenged Mississippi’s use of a three-drug lethal injection method, calling it inhumane.
Jordan’s Final Words and Last Meal
Before the execution, Jordan gave a final statement in which he thanked his lawyers and his wife, and apologized to the family of the victim. His final words were, “I will see you on the other side, all of you.” MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain said Jordan had a final meal with his family before the execution.
The Crime: A 1976 Kidnapping and Murder
Jordan was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of 35-year-old Edwina Marter, a wife and mother of two from Gulfport, Mississippi. On January 13, 1976, Jordan called a local bank and asked to speak to a loan officer, eventually finding the home address of Charles Marter, Edwina’s husband.
Disguised as an electrical worker, Jordan showed up at the Marter home where Edwina was alone with her 3-year-old son. He kidnapped her at gunpoint, later took her into a wooded area, and shot her to death. He then lied and demanded a $25,000 ransom from her husband, claiming she was still alive.
Jordan was sentenced to death four times over the years due to multiple appeals and retrials, but his conviction was upheld each time.
The Victim’s Family Speaks Out
Edwina’s family, including her sons who are now 52 and 59, said the execution brought a sense of closure, even though nothing could bring their mother back. In a statement read after the execution, the family said:
“Nothing can ever change what Jordan took from us 49 years ago… He never thought about the many people who loved her and relied on her.”
They added that while her sons may choose to forgive Jordan, it does not erase the pain and loss they have lived with for nearly five decades.
