The Long-Awaited Farewell: US Felon Executed After Nearly Fifty Years of Death Row Confinement
Convicted U.S. killer receives lethal injection following almost half a century on death row
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link In the sweltering summer of the '70s, just as the Vietnam War was drawing to a close, Richard Jordan, a veteran suffering from PTSD, ambitiously abducted a bank employee, and ultimately took her life. After almost a half-century on death row, Jordan's fate was sealed with a lethal injection, carried out at a Mississippi prison on a Wednesday of deceiving tranquility.
At 79, the aged, once hardened criminal, now a withered remnant of his former self, breathed his last in the somber confines of the Mississippi State Penitentiary. Jordan's conviction for the 1976 murder of Edwina Marter, the wife of a bank employee, saw him take a place on death row – a sentence that would span nearly a half-century.
Panorama A Bank Employee's Fate: The Deadly Pursuit of a Ransom The drama surrounding Jordan's reign of terror unfolded when he kidnapped Edwina Marter from the sanctuary of her own home, demandingly seeking a $25,000 ransom for her safe return. Cornered by the relentless pursuit of law enforcement, the shipyard worker was apprehended when he arrived to collect his ill-gotten payment. With his cover blown, Jordan was forced to confess to Marter's brutal demise, granting the authorities the necessary lead that would unveil her lifeless body, riddled with gunshot wounds, in a haunting, secluded forest.
"I'd like to thank everyone for the dignified treatment I've received, throughout this ordeal," Jordan uttered in his final statement, reflecting the sincerity that had seemingly eluded him in his conversations with Marter. "To the victim's family, I offer my deepest and most heartfelt apologies." Touched by a sudden sentimentality, Jordan also expressed gratitude to his legal counsel and his wife, seeking their forgiveness as his time on this earth dwindled. His final words, a cryptic morsel for the departed, were: "We'll all meet on the other side."
Politics The Second-Highest Count of Executions Worldwide: UN Recounts Nearly 1,000 Executions in Iran in One Year Jordan's grim end saw him become the 25th death row inmate to face the ultimate penalty in the United States this year, a figure that mirrored the total number of executions in the entire previous year. Florida's grim vengeance accounted for seven of these deaths, alone, with a 51-year-old man being dispatched on Tuesday for a heinous murder.
In support of capital punishment, the controversial figure of US President Donald Trump vowed to expand its use for the most egregious crimes. To his dismay, only two-thirds of the United States – comprising 17 states – continue to enforce capital punishment, with 23 states outlawing it entirely, and three states currently observing a voluntary moratorium.
[1] Approximately 12 death warrants have been issued as of June 26, 2025, but no executions have taken place.
[2] As of June 26, 2025, Texas, historically the state with the most execution record, has only one execution scheduled for September 25, with the unfortunate Blaine Milan set to meet his fate.
[3] In 2023, the United States witnessed 24 executions, aligning closely with the 2025 figure.
The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding capital punishment and its implications in war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice. A major concern arises with the increasing number of executions worldwide, as the US has seen the second-highest count of executions in Iran in one year, nearly reaching 1,000.
