Execution on His Birthday: The Story of Kevin Ray Underwood, His Crimes, and Justice in Oklahoma

 

The United States marked its 25th and final execution of 2024 on Thursday when Kevin Ray Underwood, an admitted child killer, was put to death on his 45th birthday at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Underwood, convicted of one of the most heinous crimes in Oklahoma's history, left behind a trail of pain, regret, and debate over capital punishment.

Final Words and Execution

Underwood, who was pronounced dead at 10:14 a.m., used his final moments to apologize for his actions. "I would like to apologize again for all the terrible things I did," he said from the execution gurney. "I hate that I did those things, and I wish I could take them back." His voice wavered as he spoke, and a tear rolled down his face before the lethal injection took effect.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections Executive Director Steven Harpe described the process as “textbook,” with Underwood cooperating fully. The execution was completed in just 10 minutes.

A Heinous Crime

Underwood was convicted of murdering 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin in April 2006. The grocery store stocker lured the young girl, nicknamed “Coppertop,” into his apartment in Purcell, Oklahoma. There, he brutally assaulted her, hitting her over the head with a cutting board before suffocating her.

The FBI discovered Jamie’s nearly decapitated body in a plastic tub in Underwood’s closet two days later. Underwood confessed to planning the crime for months, driven by sexual and cannibalistic fantasies. In a chilling admission, he said he intended to keep her head as a “companion” and sleep beside her corpse before dismembering and cooking it.

A Trial of Justice

In 2008, a jury found Underwood guilty of first-degree murder. Though initially divided on sentencing, they unanimously decided on the death penalty after eight hours of deliberation.

During his clemency hearing earlier this month, Underwood expressed remorse, stating, “I recognize that although I do not want to die ... I deserve to for what I did.” However, state attorneys described him as manipulative and remorseless, citing a recent message in which he claimed he had “virtually no memory” of the crime.

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board unanimously denied his clemency request on December 13. Attorney General Gentner Drummond called Underwood’s crimes “some of the most depraved and notorious in Oklahoma history.”

Victim’s Family Speaks

Jamie Rose Bolin’s family witnessed the execution, with her older sister, Lori Pate, stating afterward, “This does not bring our Jamie back, but it does allow the space in our hearts to focus on her and allow the healing process to begin.”

The Debate Over Capital Punishment

Underwood’s execution took place on his birthday, a coincidence due to the state’s policy of conducting executions on Thursdays. Reflecting on the timing, he said, “It’s a needlessly cruel thing to do to my family.”

Protesters gathered outside the governor’s mansion on Thursday, with the Rev. Don Heath, chair of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, saying, “We grieve for Jamie and Kevin and the senseless loss of their lives.”

Oklahoma has now carried out 210 executions since 1915. Underwood’s was the fourth execution in the state this year, part of a broader national decline in the use of the death penalty.

What’s Next

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals will soon schedule the next execution, with Wendell Grissom, convicted of a 2005 murder, next in line.

Underwood’s story—his horrific crime, his trial, and his final moments—remains a stark reminder of the complexities and moral questions surrounding capital punishment in America.