Oklahoma has set a date for its first execution in 2025. Wendell Arden Grissom is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on March 20 for a murder he committed in 2005.
Now 56, Grissom was charged with the murder of Amber Matthews during a Blaine County home invasion. During the invasion, Grissom shot Matthews twice in the head. His accomplice, Jessie Johns, is serving life in prison without parole.
Grissom was convicted at trial of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, grand larceny and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.
A clemency hearing for Grissom is tentatively set for Feb. 5. His attorneys are expected to present evidence that brain damage prevents him from controlling impulses and explosive behaviors. Grissom could also waive his hearing altogether.
During a clemency hearing, Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board is tasked with deciding whether to execute as planned or waive it. Gov. Kevin Stitt has the final say on whether clemency is recommended.
In 2024, Oklahoma executed four people — only Texas and Alabama put more to death. Last year’s executions included Michael Dewayne Smith, Richard Norman Rojem Jr., Emmanuel Antonio Littlejohn and Kevin Ray Underwood.
Executions are carried out by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.
Originally, Grissom’s execution was set to take place on Jan. 11, but changes in state procedure and delays for last year’s final execution pushed the date back. The Court of Criminal Appeals now generally sets executions about 90 days apart.
