Charles Warner Executed in Oklahoma

Charles Warner, Oklahoma

January 15, 2015

Oklahoma executed Charles Frederick Warner on Thursday, January 15, 2015. Charles was pronounced dead at 7:28 pm inside the execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Oklahoma. Forty-seven-year-old Charles is convicted of killing 11-month-old Adriana Waller on August 22, 1997, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Charles has spent the last 11 years of his life on Oklahoma’s death row.

Family members testified that Charles had no prior felony convictions and did not use drugs or alcohol. They also testified that he was a good father, who helped his children with their homework and taught them to be responsible. Charles was never witnessed abusing his children. Charles was considered reliable by friends and family.

Shonda Waller and her 11-month-old daughter Adriana Waller, lived with Charles Warner and his three children, seven-year-old Charvon, five-year-old Vonnita, and two-year-old Dashja. On the morning of August 22, 1997, Warner left around 7:30 am to go pay a traffic ticket. Shonda woke up around 8:00 am and stayed in bed to play with Adriana, who appeared to be her normal, playful self. When Shonda changed her diaper that morning, she did not notice anything abnormal.

Shonda and Warner had planned to go grocery shopping that afternoon.  Warner later suggested Shonda go alone while he stayed home to watch the children. Shonda agreed and left around noon, returning around 2:30 pm. When she looked in on Adriana, she saw her lying in bed. Shortly thereafter, Warner went to get Adriana and brought her out of the bedroom, saying she was not breathing.

Warner and Shonda rushed to the hospital, with Shonda performing CPR on the way. Medical personnel were unable to resuscitate Adriana. As the staff cleaned Adriana, they removed her diaper, noticing that there was bright red blood around Adriana’s anus, as well as tears in the rectum. The injuries appeared to be recent. The staff stopped cleaning and called the police.

Adriana had a six-inch skull fracture, a broken jaw, three broken ribs, bruised lungs, and a lacerated liver and spleen. A forensic pathologist said that the injuries were likely caused one to three hours before her death. Warner was questioned by police that night into the next morning, when he was arrested, charged, and eventually convicted of Adriana’s murder.

Charles Warner had several previous execution dates.  Due to complications arising from the prolonged execution of Clayton Lockett, Charles was granted several stays of execution. Since Clayton’s execution in April of 2014, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has revamped the execution protocol and retrained all individuals participating in the execution.

Please pray for peace for the family of Adriana Waller. Please pray for strength for the family of Charles.

For more information regarding how your financial support can help, please click here.