Oklahoma Execution of Kevin Underwood Halted Before December 7, 2023

Kevin Underwood, Oklahoma

Updated: Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Kevin Ray Underwood was scheduled to be executed on Thursday, December 7, 2023, inside the Oklahoma State Penitentiary near McAlester, Oklahoma. His execution will be rescheduled for a later date. Forty-three-year-old Kevin is convicted of raping and murdering 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin in Purcell, Oklahoma on April 12, 2006. Kevin has spent the last 15 years on Oklahoma’s death row.

Kevin grew up in a slightly dysfunctional family environment, where he was allegedly emotionally and verbally abused by his parents. At the time of his arrest, he worked as a grocery store clerk and at a fast food restaurant.

Kevin Underwood lived in the same apartment complex as Curtis Bolin and his 10-year-old daughter, Jamie. On April 12, 2006, Jamie went to school as usual. She played with a friend at the library after school before returning home, where she was often alone for several hours due to her father’s work schedule. On that evening, when her father came home, Jamie could not be found. A search was organized for Jamie.

Two days later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation joined the search efforts and set up roadblocks, asking motorists if they had seen anything. On April 14, 2006, Underwood and his father were stopped by police. The father mentioned that Underwood was the girl’s neighbor and an FBI agent asked to speak with Underwood privately. In the agent’s car, Underwood made several intriguing statements and the agent requested Underwood come down to the police station to answer a few more questions. Underwood agreed. Underwood’s father was assured Underwood would be given a ride home.

Underwood was questioned for less than an hour at the police station. At the end of the interview, police asked if they could search Underwood’s apartment. Underwood agreed. During the search, police discovered a large plastic tub, with its lid taped shut inside his bedroom closet. Initially, Underwood claimed he kept comic books in the tub. As agents began opening the tub, they saw a shirt matching the description of the one worn by Jamie the day she went missing. When asked, Underwood confessed that Jamie was in the tub. He had struck her over the head with a cutting board and killed her. Underwood was immediately arrested and advised of his rights.

Eventually, Underwood signed a statement waiving his rights. He confessed to developing a desire to kidnap, sexually assault them, eat their flesh, and dispose of the body. He lured Jamie into his apartment by inviting her to see his pet rate. Underwood then struck her with a cutting board several times before suffocating her to death. He attempted to carry out his fantasy but was unable to do so. Instead, he wrapped her plastic and placed her in the plastic tub. Underwood then took her bicycle, dismantled it, and hid it in his apartment to make it look like she left the complex.

Underwood was convicted and sentenced to death.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has requested that several of the upcoming scheduled executions in the state be rescheduled to allow more time between executions. Oklahoma’s Department of Corrections is currently understaffed and preparing for an execution is time intensive. Drummond’s request was granted by the courts. Several executions have been rescheduled, however many, including Underwood, have not yet received their new execution dates.

Please pray for the family of Jamie Bolin. Please pray for strength for the family of Kevin Underwood. Please pray that if Kevin is innocent, lacks the competency to be executed, or should not be executed for any other reason that evidence will be provided before his execution. Pray that Kevin may come to find peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

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