BONNE TERRE, Mo. – A Missouri man who steadfastly maintained his innocence was executed for the fatal shooting of a state trooper more than 20 years ago. Lance Shockley, aged 48, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. following a lethal injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre.
Shockley was convicted of killing Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. in March 2005. According to prosecutors, Shockley waited for hours near Graham's home in Van Buren, southeast Missouri, and shot him with a rifle and shotgun as the trooper exited his patrol vehicle.
His execution coincided with another execution in Florida, where Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, was put to death for the murders of two women whose bodies were recovered from a remote pond in 1996.
Inside the death chamber, Shockley had conversations with loved ones during his final moments. He was visited earlier in the day by his daughters and a friend, and his last meal included peanut butter, oatmeal, water, and sports drinks.
In his final statement, Shockley stated, '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.' His execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court denied his last-minute appeals, and Missouri's GOP Governor Mike Kehoe declined to grant clemency.
Kehoe emphasized the state's commitment to supporting law enforcement, stating, 'Violence against those who risk their lives every day to protect our communities will never be tolerated.'
Shockley's attorneys argued for a stay of execution to allow DNA testing on evidence that could prove his innocence. Despite their requests, courts ruled against halting the execution. The prosecution maintained that even if DNA tests had been conducted, the evidence would not suffice to undermine Shockley’s conviction.
Shockley's case remains contentious, with many pointing to the lack of direct evidence linking him to the crime. Several witnesses placed him elsewhere on the day of the shooting, adding further doubt to the conviction. Notably, his execution marks the first in Missouri this year.
Shockley was convicted of killing Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. in March 2005. According to prosecutors, Shockley waited for hours near Graham's home in Van Buren, southeast Missouri, and shot him with a rifle and shotgun as the trooper exited his patrol vehicle.
His execution coincided with another execution in Florida, where Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, was put to death for the murders of two women whose bodies were recovered from a remote pond in 1996.
Inside the death chamber, Shockley had conversations with loved ones during his final moments. He was visited earlier in the day by his daughters and a friend, and his last meal included peanut butter, oatmeal, water, and sports drinks.
In his final statement, Shockley stated, '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.' His execution proceeded after the U.S. Supreme Court denied his last-minute appeals, and Missouri's GOP Governor Mike Kehoe declined to grant clemency.
Kehoe emphasized the state's commitment to supporting law enforcement, stating, 'Violence against those who risk their lives every day to protect our communities will never be tolerated.'
Shockley's attorneys argued for a stay of execution to allow DNA testing on evidence that could prove his innocence. Despite their requests, courts ruled against halting the execution. The prosecution maintained that even if DNA tests had been conducted, the evidence would not suffice to undermine Shockley’s conviction.
Shockley's case remains contentious, with many pointing to the lack of direct evidence linking him to the crime. Several witnesses placed him elsewhere on the day of the shooting, adding further doubt to the conviction. Notably, his execution marks the first in Missouri this year.
