Charles Ray Crawford, a 59-year-old Mississippi man, is set for execution tonight at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. Convicted of the 1993 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 20-year-old Kristy Ray, Crawford has spent over 30 years on death row. The execution is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be the second in Mississippi in less than four months.
Crawford was convicted in 1994 for abducting Ray from her home in Tippah County. He left a ransom note and later led authorities to her body, although he claimed he could not remember the crime. At the time of his arrest, he was awaiting trial for another assault charge involving a 17-year-old girl.
In the state's response to Crawford's latest appeals, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch told the court that the filings represent "a last-minute attempt to delay the execution of his lawful death sentence."
Crawford's execution is part of a broader trend of increasing executions in the United States, with 37 men executed so far this year. Advocates for Crawford, including Mitzi Magleby and Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood, argue that he has transformed during his time in prison, becoming a respected figure on death row. They urge for a halt to the execution, emphasizing his personal growth and change over the years.