Christopher Sepulvado Dies in Louisiana Ahead of Execution on March 17, 2025

Christopher Sepulvado, Louisiana

Updated: Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Christopher Sepulvado was scheduled to be executed on Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Louisiana State Penitentiary near Angola, Louisiana.  He has died while awaiting his execution date, at the age of 81.  He was in the prison infirmary at the time of his death, with appeals indicating that he was terminally ill. Christoper was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering his six-year-old stepson Wesley Allen Mercer on March 8, 1992, in Mansfield, Louisiana.  At the time of his death, Christopher was the longest-serving death row inmate in Louisiana, having spent the last 31 years on the state’s death row.

Christopher Sepulvado began dating Yvonne Mercer in September 1990. At the time, Yvonne was separated from her first husband and living with her parents. In January 1991, over objections from Yvonne’s parents, Yvonne and her son, Wesley Mercer, moved in with Sepulvado in Mansfield, Louisiana. Sepulvado soon began drinking heavily and abusing Yvonne. 

Yvonne left and returned to Sepulvado several times over the next year.  Sometimes Wesley stayed with his grandparents, and other times he went with his mother to Sepulvado’s home.  Eventually, Sepulvado began abusing Wesley instead of Yvonne.  Wesley was abused both physically and verbally.

On March 5, 1992, Sepulvado and Yvonne married.  For the next two days, Wesley was abused by both Sepulvado and his mother.  Wesely arrived home from school on March 6, 1992, and had defecated in his pants.  His mother spanked him and Sepulvado threatened to hang him.  Sepulvado also whipped him and ordered that he not be given food for the rest of that day and the next day.

On March 8, 1992, Wesley was instructed to get ready for church and Sepulvado threatened to scald him with hot water if he didn’t stop defecating in his pants.  When Wesley did not move fast enough, Sepulvado hit him over the head several times with a screwdriver.  When Wesley passed out, Sepulvado submerged him in a tub full of scalding hot water.  Wesley vomited when he attempted to eat before falling over and passing out.  About three hours later, Wesley was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.  He was pronounced dead a short time later and was believed to be dead for some time before being brought to the hospital.  An autopsy determined he had severe third-degree burns over 58 percent of his body, multiple head wounds, and that he had died of heart and lung failure due to those injuries.

Sepulvado and Yvonne were arrested by police.  Sepulvado was charged with first-degree murder, convicted, and sentenced to death.  He admitted to hitting Wesley but claimed the boy accidentally fell into the hot water.  Yvonne was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 21 years in prison.  She was released in 2002, after seven and one-half years of her sentence.  She denied killing her son, but feels partially responsible, as she did not end her relationship with Sepulvado.

Pray for peace for the family of Wesley Mercer.  Pray for strength for the family of Christopher Sepulvado.