Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old man who has spent more than two decades on death row, is set to be

executed by firing squad tonight (March 7), marking the first execution of its kind in South america Carolina’s history. With just hours left before his scheduled execution, Sigmon has made a last-minute plea for clemency, hoping for an intervention from Governor Henry McMaster.

The Crime and Conviction

Sigmon was sentenced to death in 2002 after being convicted of the brutal murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents, David and Gladys Larke, in Greenville County, South Carolina. According to court records, he beat them to death with a baseball bat in their home before kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Barbre, at gunpoint. Barbre managed to escape from his vehicle before he could harm her further.

In addition to receiving two death sentences, Sigmon was also given a 30-year prison term for first-degree burglary. Since his conviction, he has remained on death row, filing numerous appeals that have all been denied.