On March 7, 2025, Brad Sigmon, a death row inmate convicted of a double murder, was executed by firing squad in South Carolina—a method not used in the state for 15 years and only the fourth such execution in the United States since capital punishment resumed in 1976. Sigmon’s execution marks a rare and somber moment in the nation’s penal history, drawing attention both to the evolving methods of execution and the ongoing debates regarding capital punishment in America.

I. Background of the Case

A. The Crime and Its Aftermath

In 2002, Brad Sigmon was convicted for the brutal murder of David and Gladys Larke, the parents of his ex-girlfriend. The crime was characterized by extreme violence: Sigmon, in a fit of rage and despair following his breakup, attacked the couple with a baseball bat. The violent nature of the assault, which left little doubt about the premeditation and cruelty involved, ultimately led to a conviction that would result in a death sentence.

Following his conviction, Sigmon was sentenced not only to death but also received two consecutive life sentences and an additional 30-year term for first-degree burglary. Despite his legal team’s efforts to have his sentence commuted to life imprisonment, the jury’s verdict upheld the death penalty. This decision underscored the gravity with which the court viewed his actions and the corresponding need for a punishment deemed commensurate with the severity of his crimes.

B. Legal and Procedural Developments

During the more than two decades Sigmon spent on death row, the legal system in South Carolina evolved, and the debate over execution methods gained new dimensions. In a state where condemned inmates are afforded the choice of execution method, Sigmon’s eventual decision to select the firing squad was both a personal and symbolic statement. His choice emerged in an era marked by concerns over the painful and prolonged nature of lethal injection and the potential for botched executions using other methods such as electrocution.

South Carolina had not used the firing squad as a method of execution for 15 years. Prior to Sigmon’s execution, only three other inmates in the United States had been executed by this method since 1976—a fact that places his case in a very exclusive and historically significant category. His execution, therefore, not only ended his life but also reintroduced a controversial method of capital punishment into the modern discourse.

II. The Execution Process

A. Preparation and Protocol

On the day of his execution, Sigmon was escorted into the death chamber at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina. The facility’s procedures for a firing squad execution are stringent and highly structured. Sigmon was first hooded and dressed in a standard-issue black jumpsuit. A target was affixed over his heart—a detail that underscores the clinical precision of the process.

In accordance with South Carolina’s execution protocols, Sigmon was securely strapped into a metal chair that rested upon a catch basin designed to contain bodily fluids, a measure intended to ensure both safety and procedural order. This setup, while efficient from an administrative standpoint, also served as a stark reminder of the finality of the state’s decision and the mechanistic nature of capital punishment.

B. The Role of the Execution Team

Three state corrections department volunteers were designated as the executioners for this solemn duty. Armed with .308-caliber Winchester rifles loaded with 100-grain TAP Urban bullets, these volunteers stood at a distance of 15 feet from the death chamber’s target area. Their position, carefully concealed from the viewing area by a barrier, ensured that the execution was carried out with a level of detachment and professionalism deemed necessary by state officials.

At precisely 6:05 p.m., the executioners simultaneously discharged their rifles. This coordinated firing was intended to deliver a fatal blow with maximum efficiency. In the seconds following the shots, a medical officer promptly entered the chamber to verify Sigmon’s vital signs. After an examination lasting approximately ninety seconds, the doctor declared him dead at 6:08 p.m.

III. Sigmon’s Final Statement

One of the most striking aspects of this case was Sigmon’s final statement—a series of remarks that not only reflected his personal transformation during his time on death row but also conveyed a broader philosophical and religious message. In his last words, Sigmon invoked several Bible verses to challenge the notion that retribution should be meted out in kind.

A. A Call for Mercy and Reform

According to court records and reports read aloud by his attorney, Sigmon’s final statement was intended to serve as both a farewell and a public appeal. He declared, “I want my closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow Christians to help us end the death penalty.” With these words, he sought to underline the perceived moral inconsistency of executing human beings—a practice that, he argued, runs contrary to the compassionate teachings of the New Testament.

B. Biblical Justifications and Rejections

Sigmon explained that the traditional “an eye for an eye” philosophy, once used to justify the death penalty, was based on Old Testament law. In his view, this form of retribution was obsolete. “At that time, I was too ignorant to know how wrong that was. Why? Because we no longer live under the Old Testament law but now live under the New Testament,” he stated. His words were a direct challenge to those who argue that the death penalty is a just form of punishment, suggesting instead that mercy and forgiveness should guide modern justice.

Concluding his remarks, Sigmon stated, “We are not under God’s grace and mercy.” This paradoxical conclusion—asserting both the absence of divine sanction for human execution and the need for mercy—reflected a complex internal struggle over his own culpability and the broader ethics of capital punishment.

IV. The Historical and Social Context

A. The Rarity of Firing Squad Executions

The decision to execute Sigmon by firing squad is significant not only because of its rarity in recent American history but also because it represents a reversion to older methods of execution. Since 1977, only 1,612 individuals had been executed in the United States, with firing squads accounting for a minuscule fraction of those cases. Sigmon’s execution marks the 1,613th instance of capital punishment in the country, highlighting the persistent, albeit declining, use of the death penalty.

B. Changing Attitudes Toward Capital Punishment

In recent years, there has been growing debate over the ethics and efficacy of the death penalty. Critics argue that modern methods of execution, particularly lethal injection, often mask the brutality of state-sanctioned killing. In contrast, the firing squad method, with its immediate and violent nature, forces society to confront the stark realities of capital punishment.

Proponents of the death penalty contend that the punishment serves as a deterrent and delivers justice for heinous crimes. However, the fact that death row inmates are permitted to choose their method of execution—as was the case in South Carolina—underscores the complexities involved in carrying out such sentences. Sigmon’s choice to opt for a firing squad was reportedly influenced by concerns over the prolonged suffering associated with other methods, such as lethal injection or electrocution.

C. Broader Implications for the Justice System

The use of a firing squad in Sigmon’s execution has reignited discussions about the morality, transparency, and humanity of the death penalty. Legal experts and human rights advocates have long criticized the lack of transparency in execution protocols, arguing that the secrecy surrounding procedures—such as the identities and training of execution team members—is a troubling aspect of modern capital punishment. Moreover, the physical evidence of violence inflicted by a firing squad, as opposed to the more “clinical” nature of lethal injections, prompts deeper inquiries into how society chooses to administer justice.

V. The Execution Day: A Detailed Account

A. Arrival at the Death Chamber

On the day of execution, media representatives, family members of the victims, legal representatives, and selected prison officials gathered to witness the procedure. While the death chamber is typically designed to be a controlled environment devoid of personal sentiment, the gravity of the occasion was palpable. The facility, maintained with strict adherence to security and operational protocols, provided a stark backdrop to what was to become the final moment of Brad Sigmon’s life.

Prior to entering the death chamber, Sigmon was escorted through a series of secured corridors and briefed on the execution process. This final walk, a symbolic journey from incarceration to execution, was conducted under heavy guard and in the presence of both legal and correctional personnel.

B. Execution Setup and Process

Inside the chamber, every detail had been meticulously planned. Sigmon was positioned in the center of the room, strapped securely into the specially designed metal chair. The chair itself, positioned atop a catch basin, was a stark reminder of the clinical precision involved in the process.

A large, circular target was affixed to Sigmon’s chest—an image designed to ensure that the executioners could aim with lethal precision. The executioners, three corrections department volunteers, were stationed 15 feet away. Their rifles, loaded with .308-caliber ammunition specifically designed to disintegrate upon impact, were aimed at the target. The deliberate spacing between the executioners and the inmate was not arbitrary; it was calculated to provide both accuracy and safety.

At 6:05 p.m., with all legal clearances confirmed by phone from the Governor’s office and the Attorney General’s Office, the firing squad executed the order. In a synchronized act, all three volunteers discharged their rifles simultaneously. The sound of the rifles—a sharp, decisive report—filled the chamber, marking the irreversible end of Sigmon’s life.

C. Post-Execution Procedures

Following the discharge of the rifles, a medical officer promptly entered the chamber. The officer conducted a rapid examination, checking for vital signs and confirming the absence of any further physical movement. After a thorough yet expedited assessment lasting approximately 90 seconds, the doctor pronounced Sigmon dead at 6:08 p.m.

The entire process, from the moment Sigmon was secured in the chair to the final declaration of death, was executed with the efficiency and detachment that the state’s protocols demand. Witnesses were required to sign documentation verifying that the execution had been carried out in accordance with legal and procedural standards. This final step served as both an administrative formality and a testament to the thoroughness of the process.

VI. Legal and Ethical Debates

A. The Role of Inmate Choice in Execution Methods

South Carolina’s policy that allows death row inmates to select their method of execution is a subject of significant legal and ethical debate. In theory, providing a choice acknowledges the inherent human dignity of the condemned, even in their final moments. It also allows inmates to avoid methods that they believe will inflict prolonged suffering. In practice, however, the choice can also be interpreted as a grim reminder of the reality that, regardless of the method, the state is in the business of ending lives.

In Sigmon’s case, his decision to opt for the firing squad was reportedly influenced by his belief that alternative methods—lethal injection or electrocution—would have resulted in a more drawn-out and painful death. This choice, therefore, was not merely a personal preference but a reflection of a broader critique of modern execution methods. Sigmon’s final statement, in which he decried the “eye for an eye” mentality and invoked the teachings of the New Testament, can be seen as an expression of regret for a past steeped in violence and an appeal for a more compassionate justice system.

B. Ethical Considerations and the Death Penalty Debate

The ethical implications of the death penalty continue to be a polarizing issue in the United States and around the world. Advocates for capital punishment argue that it provides a necessary means of retribution and deterrence for the most heinous crimes. Opponents, on the other hand, maintain that the death penalty is inherently inhumane and that it carries with it the risk of irreversible error.

Brad Sigmon’s execution by firing squad, with its raw and unmistakable demonstration of lethal violence, has served to intensify these debates. The method’s historical associations with military justice, frontier law enforcement, and political repression further complicate its modern usage. For many, the sight of a condemned man being executed by a firing squad is a potent reminder of a bygone era—a time when the state’s retribution was meted out in a manner that was both brutal and public.

In his final remarks, Sigmon’s invocation of biblical scripture was an attempt to frame the death penalty in moral and religious terms. By contrasting the retributive justice of the Old Testament with the mercy advocated in the New Testament, he sought to challenge the legitimacy of the death penalty in a modern, compassionate society. His call for Christians to work toward ending the death penalty resonates deeply with contemporary movements that question whether state-sanctioned death truly serves the interests of justice or merely perpetuates a cycle of violence.

VII. The Broader Impact on Capital Punishment Practices

A. A Return to Historical Methods

Brad Sigmon’s execution is significant not only for its immediate impact but also for what it represents in the broader context of capital punishment practices. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1977, most executions in the United States have been carried out via lethal injection—a method widely regarded as the most “humane” option available. However, the increasing difficulty in procuring lethal injection drugs, combined with growing evidence that such injections can sometimes result in prolonged and painful deaths, has forced several states to reconsider alternative methods.

South Carolina’s reintroduction of the firing squad—a method last used in the state 15 years ago—reflects this shifting landscape. While the method’s violent nature is undeniable, proponents argue that its immediacy and efficiency offer a more certain end to the condemned’s suffering. In the wake of Sigmon’s execution, legal scholars and policymakers are likely to debate whether the firing squad should be maintained as a viable option for future executions, or if its use merely underscores the inherent brutality of the death penalty itself.

B. Public Opinion and Policy Implications

The execution of Brad Sigmon by firing squad has also had a measurable impact on public opinion regarding the death penalty in South Carolina and beyond. Polls and surveys conducted in the aftermath of the execution indicate a deep division among the public. Supporters of capital punishment view the firing squad as a necessary tool of justice—a final, unequivocal measure against individuals who commit the most grievous crimes. Conversely, opponents see the method as a disturbing throwback to an earlier, more barbaric era, one that has no place in a modern justice system.

This division is not limited to the general public; it is also reflected within legislative bodies and among policymakers. Debates over the future of capital punishment often hinge on whether states should continue to offer inmates the choice of execution method. Sigmon’s case, with its high-profile nature and emotionally charged final statement, has provided ammunition for both sides of the debate. For reform advocates, his words serve as a powerful indictment of a system that, they argue, is fundamentally flawed. For proponents of the death penalty, his execution is seen as an affirmation that justice, however severe, is a necessary response to unspeakable crimes.

VIII. Reflections on Justice, Redemption, and Finality

A. The Legacy of Brad Sigmon

Brad Sigmon’s life and death offer a poignant case study in the complexities of the American justice system. On one hand, his brutal actions—beating David and Gladys Larke to death—are indisputable acts of violence that demanded retribution. On the other hand, his extended time on death row and his final statements hint at a man who, over the course of 23 years, may have undergone a process of reflection and transformation.

His invocation of religious teachings, and his plea for mercy, raise difficult questions about whether true redemption is ever possible for those who commit heinous crimes. Can a man who once reveled in violence truly find solace in a plea for forgiveness? And, more broadly, does the act of executing someone—regardless of the method—serve to advance justice or merely to perpetuate the cycle of retribution?

B. A Call for a Broader Conversation

The case of Brad Sigmon invites a broader conversation about the nature of justice in contemporary society. His execution by firing squad, a method that forces all involved to confront the physical reality of state-sanctioned killing, stands as a stark reminder of the enduring questions surrounding the death penalty. It forces society to ask: What is the purpose of capital punishment? Is it to exact revenge, to deter future crimes, or to serve as a final statement on the sanctity of human life?

In the wake of his death, many religious leaders, legal experts, and human rights advocates have called for a re-examination of capital punishment policies. Sigmon’s final words—laden with biblical references and a call for compassion—resonate with those who believe that the death penalty, in its current form, is an outdated relic that should be replaced with more humane forms of justice.

IX. Conclusion

Brad Sigmon’s execution by firing squad on March 7, 2025, stands as a significant moment in the history of American capital punishment. As the 1,613th person executed in the United States since 1977 and only the fourth to be executed by firing squad, his case encapsulates many of the contentious issues surrounding the death penalty today. From the harrowing details of his crime to the legal debates over execution methods and the ethical questions raised by his final statement, Sigmon’s story is one that forces us to confront the moral complexities of justice, retribution, and redemption.

For over two decades, Sigmon’s fate was sealed by the verdict of a jury that saw his actions as beyond redemption. Yet, his final words—imbued with regret, a plea for mercy, and a call to re-examine the principles of justice—highlight the profound and often uncomfortable questions that continue to animate discussions about the death penalty. In a society that is increasingly divided over the merits of capital punishment, his execution serves both as a closure for a long-running legal process and as a catalyst for renewed debate over how best to achieve justice in a modern world.

Ultimately, while the state of South Carolina has demonstrated its willingness to employ every available method to carry out the death penalty, including the reintroduction of a historically rooted method like the firing squad, the broader question remains: can the act of execution ever truly bring about healing or resolution in the wake of unspeakable crimes? As Brad Sigmon’s case continues to be dissected by legal scholars, human rights advocates, and the public alike, it is clear that his story will remain a powerful touchstone in the ongoing debate over the morality and efficacy of the death penalty in America.

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This article has been prepared to provide an in-depth, professional analysis of the events leading up to and including the execution of Brad Sigmon, highlighting the legal, ethical, and societal implications of his case. It is intended for readers seeking a comprehensive understanding of a pivotal moment in the modern history of capital punishment in the United States.