“I Will See You on the Other Side”: Mississippi’s Longest-Serving Death Row Inmate Executed After 48 Years

Keywords: Richard Gerald Jordan execution, Edwina Marter murder, Mississippi death row, final words before execution, justice delayed, death penalty Mississippi, longest-serving inmate

A Chilling End to a Nearly 50-Year-Old Tragedy

On the evening of June 25, Richard Gerald Jordan, the longest-serving death row inmate in Mississippi’s history, was executed by lethal injection. At 79, the convicted killer and Vietnam War veteran took his final breath inside the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, nearly five decades after the brutal murder that started it all.

At 6:16 p.m., Jordan was pronounced dead. But before that moment came, he offered some unsettling final words to the family of the woman he kidnapped and killed in cold blood:

“I love you all very much. I will see you on the other side, all of you.”

The 1976 Murder That Shook Mississippi

It was January 1976 when Jordan made a chilling phone call to the Gulf National Bank in Gulfport, pretending to seek a loan officer. After obtaining the address of banker Charles Marter, he posed as an electrician and showed up at the Marter family home.

There, he kidnapped 37-year-old Edwina Marter, wife of Charles and mother of two boys aged just 3 and 11. He drove her to the DeSoto National Forest, where, according to official records, he shot her in the back of the head as she tried to escape.

Hours later, Jordan called Charles Marter, falsely claiming Edwina was alive and demanded $25,000 in ransom. His deception was short-lived. Jordan was arrested the very next day at a hotel in Mobile, Alabama.

A Death Sentence Delayed for Decades

Jordan was first sentenced to death in 1977—but what should have been a swift sentence dragged out for nearly five decades, due to legal challenges, appeals, and lawsuits. He was re-sentenced to death multiple times—in 1977, 1983, and 1998.

He even sued the state of Mississippi over its execution method, delaying proceedings further. Still, the legal maneuvering couldn’t stop the inevitable. Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his final appeal, clearing the way for justice to finally be carried out.

A Son’s Long Wait for Closure

For Eric Marter, who was just 11 when his mother was taken and killed, the decades-long delay was painful and unjust.

<blockquote>“He needs to be punished,”</blockquote> Eric told the *Associated Press* ahead of the execution. <blockquote>“I would’ve thought this had been taken care of 35–40 years ago. It’s been too long.”</blockquote>

Eric, now 59, chose not to attend the execution, sending other family members in his place.

“I don’t really have any real desire to go and waste my time,”

he told the *Clarion Ledger*. His father, now 89, and younger brother Kevin, 52, also stayed home.

Jordan’s Final Words Before Death

Inside the execution chamber, Jordan remained calm. In his final moments, he acknowledged those present, including his wife and members of the Marter family.

“First, I would like to thank everyone for a humane way of doing this,”

he began. Then, he **offered an apology**, expressed love for his wife and attorney, and concluded with:

“I will see you on the other side, all of you.”

By 6:16 p.m., his breathing had stopped. Edwina’s family, watching from the witness room, exhaled—perhaps for the first time in decades.

“He Should Have Felt the Fear She Did”

After the execution, Keith Degruy, speaking on behalf of the Marter family, delivered a prepared statement:

“She had to suffer while he dragged her around… Why should he get to live in prison and die of natural causes?”

“We feel that he should have to endure the suffering of knowing his death was only hours away, just like Edwina had to endure.”

While Jordan hoped for a final reprieve that would allow him to die in prison, the family never had that luxury.

“Nothing will bring back our mom, sister, or our friend,”

Degruy read.

“Jordan tried desperately to change his ruling so he could simply die in prison. We never had an option.”

A Chapter Closed, Not Forgotten

Nearly five decades after the murder that changed their lives forever, the Marter family finally saw the justice they were promised. Though the pain endures, and Edwina can never return, June 25, 2025, marked the end of a long and painful chapter.

What do you think about Jordan’s final words? Do you believe justice was served—too late, or just in time?

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