Missouri Man Executed for Killing Trooper
A Missouri man, Lance Shockley, was executed on Tuesday for the 2005 murder of a state trooper. His execution by lethal injection took place at the state prison in Bonne Terre, shortly after 6 p.m.
Shockley, 48, had long claimed he was innocent in the killing of Missouri State Highway Patrol sergeant Carl Dwayne Graham Jr. Reports indicate that Shockley lay in wait outside Graham’s home in Van Buren for hours before using a rifle and then a shotgun as Graham exited his patrol car.
In the moments before his execution, Shockley spoke with family members in the witness area, showing an attempt to connect through soundproof glass. After around a minute and a half, he leaned back, seemingly ceasing conversation.
His last visitors were his daughters and a friend earlier that day, and his final meal consisted of oatmeal, peanut butter, water, and two sports drinks.
Shockley’s final written message included a quote from the Book of John, expressing hope of reuniting with loved ones despite their grief.
All of Shockley’s appeals, including a request for a new trial, were denied. The U.S. Supreme Court also rejected his plea earlier on Tuesday. Governor Mike Kehoe dismissed a clemency request on Monday, reinforcing a stance against violence towards law enforcement.
Shockley was convicted in March 2009 and sentenced to death two months later. Prosecutors alleged he killed Graham due to a previous investigation into a fatal crash that involved his best friend. Shockley’s attorney argued there was no direct evidence linking him to the crime, highlighting flaws in the state’s circumstantial case, including missing murder weapons and inconsistencies among expert testimony.
Witnesses reportedly placed Shockley 22 miles away from the scene of the shooting when it occurred.
Shockley was the first person to be executed in Missouri this year, with no further executions pending for 2025. The previous execution in the state occurred on December 3, 2024. On the same day as Shockley’s execution, another inmate, Samuel Lee Smithers, was also executed in Florida.
