South Carolina Carries Out First Execution by Firing Squad in State History
Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old man who spent over two decades on death row, was executed by firing squad on March 7, 2025, marking a historic moment in South Carolina’s legal system. His execution was the first of its kind in the state and the first firing squad execution in the United States in 15 years.
Sigmon was convicted in 2002 for the brutal murders of David and Gladys Larke, the parents of his ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Barbare. The crime, which occurred in April 2001, shocked the Greenville County community. After his relationship with Barbare ended, Sigmon entered the Larkes’ home and bludgeoned them to death with a baseball bat. He then kidnapped Barbare at gunpoint, but she managed to escape from his vehicle, suffering a gunshot wound in the process.
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