Bruce Ward Dies on Death Row in Arkansas

Updated: Friday, April 4, 2025

On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, officials announced that 68-year-old Bruce Ward died while on death row in Arkansas.  His death was from natural causes, and further information has not been released due to confidentiality.  Ward was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of 18-year-old Rebecca Lynn Doss in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 11, 1989.  At the time of his death, Bruce was the longest-serving death row inmate in the state.

April 17, 2017

Bruce Earl Ward was scheduled to be executed on Monday, April 17, 2017, at the Cummins Unit near Varner, Arkansas.  Sixty-year-old Bruce is convicted of the murder of 18-year-old Rebecca Lynn Doss in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 11, 1989.  Bruce has spent the last 26 years of his life on Arkansas’ death row.

Before his arrest, Bruce worked as a perfume salesman on his motorcycle.  Bruce had previously pled guilty in Pennsylvania on a manslaughter charge for strangling a woman who had left the bar with him.

During the evening of August 11, 1989, Bruce Ward drove around Little Rock, Arkansas allegedly looking for a victim.  Teenager Rebecca Doss was working the night shift alone at Jackpot, a convenience store.

Little Rock Police Sergeant Michael Middleton, during his patrol, noticed that there was no one behind the counter at the store and went to investigate.  When he was unable to locate the clerk, he called for assistance.  While waiting, Sergeant Middleton discovered Ward exiting the men’s bathroom.  Sergeant Middleton asked Ward about the missing clerk.  Ward responded that the clerk was in the store and that he had just had a cup of hot chocolate and that the clerk had given him the key to the restroom.  Rebecca’s body was subsequently discovered on the floor of the bathroom, strangled to death.

Ward was arrested, tried, and convicted of Rebecca’s murder.  He was sentenced to death.

Please pray for peace and healing for Rebecca’s family.  Please pray for strength for Bruce’s family.