Missouri Supreme Court Sets Execution Date for 2005 Trooper Murder

The Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled the execution of Lance Shockley for October 14, 2025, following his conviction for the 2005 murder of Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham. Shockley was found guilty of first-degree murder by a jury in 2009, but the jury was deadlocked on sentencing, leading a judge to impose the death penalty unilaterally, a practice unique to Missouri and Indiana that has faced criticism for concentrating too much power in judges' hands. Sgt. Graham was killed while investigating Shockley's involvement in a fatal hit-and-run crash. Shockley has maintained his innocence but exhausted all state and federal appeals, including a rejection by the U.S. Supreme Court in March 2025. The execution warrant was issued after the Missouri Supreme Court approved the state's request, and Shockley will be held in custody until the lethal injection is carried out. This case highlights ongoing debates about Missouri's capital sentencing scheme and the role of judges in death penalty decisions.