Jobaaj Stories
Brad Keith Sigmon, a 67-year-old man convicted of brutally murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001, was executed by firing squad in South Carolina on Friday. This marked the first firing squad execution in the state’s modern history and the first in the U.S. since 2010. Sigmon, who admitted to his crimes, selected this method over lethal injection and the electric chair.
How Did the Execution Take Place?
Sigmon was executed at Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia, South Carolina, just after 6 p.m. ET. According to state execution protocols:
-
Sigmon was restrained in a metal chair with a hood covering his head.
-
Three volunteer corrections staff members aimed their rifles at his heart from 15 feet away.
-
A small aim point was placed over his heart before the warden read the execution order.
-
Upon command, all three shooters fired live rounds simultaneously.
-
Witnesses saw Sigmon's right-side profile through bullet-resistant glass.
After Sigmon was declared dead, the curtain was drawn, and witnesses were escorted out.
What Was Sigmon Convicted Of?
On April 27, 2001, Brad Keith Sigmon arrived at the home of his ex-girlfriend’s parents, David and Gladys Larke, with the intent to kidnap his ex, Rebecca Armstrong. Instead, he brutally beat the couple to death with a baseball bat, striking each of them nine times.
Sigmon then kidnapped Armstrong but failed in his attempt to escape with her when she jumped out of his moving car. He shot her in the foot before running out of bullets, which led to his arrest. At his 2002 trial, Sigmon admitted to his crimes, telling jurors, “I have no excuse for what I did. It’s my fault, and I’m sorry.” He also acknowledged that he likely deserved the death penalty but expressed a desire to live for his family’s sake.
Reactions from the Victims’ Family
David and Gladys Larke were beloved parents and grandparents. Their family described them as the “glue” that held everyone together.
Rebecca Armstrong, their daughter and Sigmon’s ex-girlfriend, expressed her devastation but stated that she does not believe in the death penalty.
Her son, Ricky Sims, attended the execution, wearing the last pair of boots gifted to him by his grandparents. He expressed his relief at the sentence being carried out, saying, “He’s going to pay for what he’s done. They didn’t deserve to die.”
Who Was Brad Keith Sigmon?
Before committing the murders, Sigmon was known as a hardworking man who took care of his siblings. However, his attorney, Gerald “Bo” King, claimed that undiagnosed mental illness, childhood trauma, and drug use led to his violent outburst.
While on death row, Sigmon reportedly became a changed man, finding faith and acting as an informal chaplain to other inmates. His attorney condemned the execution, calling it a “barbaric, state-sanctioned atrocity.”
The Firing Squad and Capital Punishment in the U.S.
South Carolina is one of five states that have legalized the firing squad as an execution method. Other states include Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma, and Idaho.
The last U.S. execution by firing squad occurred in 2010, when Utah executed Ronnie Lee Gardner. The method remains controversial, with opponents arguing that it is cruel and inhumane.
Conclusion
Brad Keith Sigmon’s execution has reopened discussions about capital punishment and execution methods in the U.S. While some see justice in his death, others, including his attorney, argue that no form of execution is humane. As South Carolina carries out its first modern firing squad execution, the debate over the death penalty continues.
