Additional Coverage:
- Missouri executes death row inmate David Hosier over double murder he claimed he did not commit (newsbreak.com)
A man from Missouri who was found guilty of murdering a woman he was previously involved with and her husband was executed, despite his continued insistence that he was innocent.
David Hosier was executed through lethal injection at a Missouri correctional facility on Tuesday night after his plea for mercy was rejected by Governor Mike Parson.
In 2009, Hosier, 69, was convicted for the murders of Angela and Rodney Gilpin. According to law enforcement, Angela Gilpin and Hosier were in a romantic relationship that she decided to end.
Governor Parson stated, “David Hosier took Angela Gilpin’s life because he couldn’t come to terms with the end of their relationship. He has shown no regret for his brutal actions.
Hosier rightfully received the harshest penalty our justice system can impose. While the execution of Hosier might not erase the sorrow felt by the friends and family of Angela and Rodney, it is my hope that it brings them some sense of resolution.”
Despite being sentenced, Hosier maintained his innocence and prepared a final statement, which he shared with NBC News, stating, “I have always spoken the truth about my innocence. I’ve demonstrated resilience in the face of legal adversity.
I’ve spent time reminiscing with loved ones. Throughout this process, I’ve discovered how to fully embrace who I am.”
Hosier also criticized his attorneys for not adequately representing the details of his case in their plea for clemency, specifically objecting to the references to his challenging childhood instead of focusing on the facts of the case. Hosier once told NBC about his disappointment in using his father’s death in his defense; his father, Glen, was an Indiana state trooper who was killed in the line of duty when Hosier was 16.
The prosecution described Hosier as a jilted lover who forcibly entered the home of the couple. Hosier argued that the affair took place while the Gilpins were separated, but they reunited a month before their deaths. At the time of her murder, Angela Gilpin had a pending protective order against Hosier in her possession.
After the murders, Hosier was apprehended in Oklahoma with numerous firearms, including an unloaded World War II-era machine gun, which according to investigators, was used in the crime. Though ballistics tests did not conclusively link Hosier to the killings, the discovery of a damning note in his vehicle and no physical evidence at the crime scene left uncertainties.
Hosier explained his possession of the weapons as being part of his hobbies, including hunting, and stated, “I understand two people lost their lives. And I’ve been accused of being responsible.”