A father delivered a mysterious final message as his last words prior to his execution on death row for the murder of a police officer. Lance Shockley, aged 48, consistently claimed his innocence despite being convicted of the killing of Sergeant Carl Dewayne Graham Junior. Despite pleading for mercy, including a last-minute plea before the execution in Bonne Terre, Missouri, Shockley’s appeals were rejected by the US Supreme Court. His execution took place on Tuesday at the prison, where his head was raised on a pillow in the death chamber while he communicated with loved ones in the witness room to his left. Shockley left a cryptic written statement saying, “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.”
Shockley was the second person executed in the US on that day, following Samuel Lee Smithers, who was given a lethal injection in Florida for murdering two women in 1996. This marked the 14th execution in Florida for the year 2025. Despite protests against the executions, Missouri Governor Michael Leo Kehoe stated, “Violence against those who risk their lives every day to protect our communities will never be tolerated. Missouri stands firmly with our men and women in uniform.”
Following Shockley’s execution, Sgt. Graham Jr.’s family expressed their profound grief over his loss, stating that it has left a deep void in their lives. They mentioned that no legal proceedings or events could ever bring back Dewayne or heal the pain in their hearts but found some peace in knowing that a part of the process is now concluded. Shockley fatally shot the 37-year-old officer in March 2005 outside his home in Van Buren, Missouri, after the officer exited his patrol vehicle. Prosecutors revealed that Shockley had been waiting near the house for the officer, who was investigating him for involuntary manslaughter.
Shockley’s legal team’s attempts to halt his execution in order to conduct DNA testing on evidence found at the crime scene were unsuccessful. They argued that untested evidence could have potentially proven Shockley’s innocence. With two daughters, Shockley became the first person to be executed in Missouri in 2025, as no further executions are scheduled in the state for the year.