On March 7, 2025, Brad Sigmon, a death row inmate convicted of a double murder, became the first person in South Carolina to be executed by firing squad. This rare and controversial method of execution had not been used in the state for 15 years and has only been used four times in the United States since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. Sigmon’s death marks a somber moment in the nation’s penal history, shedding light on the evolving methods of execution and the ongoing debate surrounding the ethics and efficacy of capital punishment in America.
In 2002, Brad Sigmon was convicted of the brutal double murder of David and Gladys Larke, the parents of his ex-girlfriend. The crime was one of extreme violence and premeditation. After his breakup with their daughter, Sigmon, in a fit of rage and despair, attacked the couple with a baseball bat. The gruesome nature of the attack left no doubt about the malicious intent behind it. The brutal assault led to the deaths of both David and Gladys Larke, and Sigmon was arrested shortly afterward. Sigmon was convicted not only of murder but also of burglary and faced a death sentence for his crimes. In addition to the death penalty, he was handed two consecutive life sentences and a 30-year term for the first-degree burglary charge. Sigmon’s legal team attempted to have his sentence commuted to life imprisonment, but the jury upheld the death sentence, viewing his actions as so heinous that they warranted the maximum punishment.