Oklahoma Executes Kevin Underwood for Brutal 2006 Murder of 10-Year-Old Girl

Oklahoma has executed Kevin Ray Underwood, a man convicted of killing a 10-year-old girl, Jamie Rose Bolin, in a horrific crime that involved a cannibalistic fantasy. The execution, carried out by lethal injection, took place on December 19, 2024, at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, marking Underwood’s 45th birthday and the nation’s 25th and final execution of the year.

Underwood, a former grocery store worker, was sentenced to death for the 2006 murder of Jamie Rose Bolin in Purcell, Oklahoma. He admitted to luring Jamie into his apartment, where he beat her over the head with a cutting board, suffocated her, and sexually assaulted her. Underwood also revealed that he had planned to behead and eat her as part of his cannibalistic fantasy but abandoned these plans before police intervened.

During a clemency hearing last week, Underwood apologized to the victim’s family and his own, expressing remorse for his actions. However, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board denied his clemency request after hearing from both Underwood and the victim’s family. Underwood’s attorneys had argued for mercy due to his history of abuse and multiple mental health issues, including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and various other conditions. Despite these arguments, the board voted unanimously against recommending clemency.

The execution was carried out using Oklahoma’s three-drug lethal injection process, which includes midazolam as a sedative, a second drug to paralyze the inmate and halt breathing, and a third drug to stop the heart. In a last-minute appeal, Underwood’s attorneys sought a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the parole board had violated state law and Underwood’s rights by rescheduling the hearing after two board members resigned. This appeal was unsuccessful.

The case has drawn significant attention due to its brutality and the lengthy legal process that has spanned nearly two decades. Members of Jamie Rose Bolin’s family were present during the clemency hearing and advocated for the execution to proceed, emphasizing the enduring pain and suffering caused by Underwood’s actions.