A convicted double murderer, Brad Keith Sigmon, who brutally killed his ex-girlfriend’s parents, made a chilling statement before facing his execution on death row. Sigmon, aged 67, was executed by a firing squad in South Carolina, USA, following the savage murders. The crime occurred when Sigmon broke into the home of David and Gladys Larke in Greenville County after their daughter, Rebecca Barbare, ended their relationship. The Larke couple, who had been together for approximately three years, resided in a trailer park near their daughter’s home.
After a night of alcohol and drug use, Sigmon confided in a friend about his plan to harm Rebecca for leaving him and to restrain her parents. Armed with a baseball bat, he viciously assaulted both parents, inflicting nine blows to each of their heads during the 2001 tragedy. The court revealed that David suffered severe head injuries, nearly splitting his skull during the 2002 trial. Sigmon also took David’s firearm and attempted to force Rebecca into a car, but she managed to escape as he fired shots in her direction.
Subsequently, Sigmon fled, leading to an 11-day manhunt that concluded in Tennessee. He was convicted in 2002 and remained on death row until early March 2025. Opting for a firing squad over the electric chair due to fears of being burned alive, Sigmon met his fate on March 8, 2025. During the execution, he was seated in a chair at the South Carolina Department of Corrections’s death chamber, with a hood over his head and a target placed on his chest. Three volunteer riflemen stood behind a curtain less than fifteen feet away, with a basin positioned beneath the chair to collect any stray blood.
Moments before the shots were fired at 6:05 pm, Sigmon’s lawyer read his final words, which emphasized love and a plea to fellow Christians to abolish the death penalty. Sigmon expressed regret for his past beliefs and appealed to God’s grace and mercy. Three members of the Larke family, along with Sigmon’s spiritual advisor, witnessed the execution. Following the shots, Sigmon’s chest moved several times, and the execution was carried out using .308 Winchester Tap Urban bullets, sparking ongoing debates among experts regarding the level of pain inflicted on victims.