PARCHMAN, Miss. — A Mississippi man, Charles Crawford, was executed Wednesday night after spending over 30 years on death row for the 1993 kidnapping, rape, and murder of Kristy Ray, a 20-year-old community college student.
Crawford, 59, was pronounced dead at 6:15 PM following a lethal injection at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. His execution has stirred conversations about capital punishment in a year marked by increasing numbers of executions nationwide.
During his final statement, Crawford said, “To my family, I love you. I’m at peace. I’ve got God’s peace,” and added, “I’ll be in heaven.” He also addressed the victim's family, stating, “To the victim’s family, true closure and true peace, you cannot reach that without God.”
Witnesses reported seeing Crawford take deep breaths as the procedure began. He was declared unconscious five minutes after the injection, but not before exhibiting visible distress as his breathing slowed.
On January 29, 1993, Crawford abducted Kristy Ray from her parents’ home in Tippah County. After her disappearance, a ransom note was discovered, which ultimately led to Crawford's arrest a day later. He later claimed to have no recollection of the crime, citing blackouts.
Crawford's long legal battle included multiple unsuccessful attempts to overturn his sentence, with allegations that his trial lawyers had violated his rights by pursuing an insanity defense contrary to his wishes. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene just minutes before the execution.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Crawford's execution was one of three carried out in two days across the U.S., raising questions about the future of the death penalty as six more executions are scheduled for 2025.
The Mississippi Supreme Court had previously dismissed claims for a retrial based on recent court rulings about the rights of defendants, leaving Crawford's fate sealed after decades of legal strife.
