Recent Death Sentences By Name, Race, County, And Year
2025 Death Sentences by Name, Race, and County
There were 23 new death sentences imposed by eight states in 2025,. Florida and California each sentenced five individuals to death, and Alabama sentenced four individuals to death. Three new death sentences were imposed in Texas, two each in Arizona and North Carolina, and one each in Missouri and Pennsylvania.
About one-third of new death sentences this year were imposed by non-unanimous juries: in all four new death sentences in Alabama and in three out of the five new death sentences imposed in Florida.
Over half of those sentenced to death in 2025 were persons of color. Nine Black defendants, five latino defendants, and nine white defendants. All identified as men.
Defendants Sentenced to Death in 2025
| Full Name | State | County | Date Sentence Formally Imposed | Race | Age at Crime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Hightower | Alabama | Tallapoosa County | 1/3/25 | Black | 33 |
| Googie Rene Harris Sr. | California | Riverside County | 1/10/25 | Black | 41 |
| Richard Tyrone Garcia | California | Stanislaus County | 1/14/25 | Latino | 31 |
| Alex Anthony Madrid | Arizona | Maricopa County | 1/16/25 | Latino | 31 |
| Jonathan Michael Monk | North Carolina | Pasquotank County | 3/26/25 | White | 30 |
| Joseph Edward Ables | Florida | Highlands County | 4/4/25 | White | 69 |
| Paul Jawon Kendrick | Pennsylvania | Somerset County | 4/10/25 | Black | 22 |
| Demarcus Tyquan Chandler | Alabama | Jefferson County | 4/15/25 | Black | 21 |
| Xavier Davis | Texas | Harris County | 4/17/25 | Black | 28 |
| Adam Slater | California | Riverside County | 5/30/25 | Black | 49 |
| Oscar Rosales | Texas | Harris County | 6/13/25 | Latino | 51 |
| Adel Sambrano Ramos | California | Sacramento County | 6/27/25 | Latino | 52 |
| Ryan Cole | Florida | Charlotte County | 7/7/25 | White | 27 |
| Derrick Lee Clay | Florida | Hamilton County | 8/1/25 | White | 35 |
| Joel Vilchis Valdez-Beltran | North Carolina | Randolph County | 8/20/25 | Latino | 28 |
| Daniel Parker Watson | Alabama | Jefferson County | 9/15/25 | White | 28 |
| Valerian O’Steen | Texas | Tarrant County | 9/22/25 | White | 25 |
| Jesse Patrick McClure | Alabama | Mobile County | 10/6/25 | White | 51 |
| Jose Antonio Soto-Escalera | Florida | St. Lucie County | 10/10/25 | Black | 41 |
| Joshua Tyler Rocha | Missouri | Clay County | 11/24/25 | White | 24 |
| Donovan Lee Faison | Florida | Seminole County | 12/5/25 | Black | 20 |
| William Arnold Armendariz | California | Riverside County | 12/12/25 | Latino | 18, 21, 23 |
| Cleophus Cooksey | Arizona | Maricopa County | 12/18/25 | Black | 35 |
2025 Death Sentences by State and County
| State | County | Number of Defendants Sentenced to Death |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Jefferson County (2) Tallapoosa County Mobile County | 4 |
| Arizona | Maricopa County (2) | 2 |
| California | Riverside County (3) Stanislaus County Sacramento County | 5 |
| Florida | Highlands County Charlotte County Hamilton County St. Lucie County Seminole County | 5 |
| Missouri | Clay County | 1 |
| North Carolina | Pasquotank County Randolph County | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | Somerset County | 1 |
| Texas | Harris County (2) Tarrant County | 3 |
2025 Death Sentences by Race of Defendant
| Race | Number of Defendants Sentenced to Death |
|---|---|
| Black | 9 |
| White | 9 |
| Latino | 5 |