Missouri Governor Mike Parson has rejected a clemency request for David Hosier, a 69-year-old inmate facing execution for the 2009 murders of a Jefferson City couple, Angela and Rodney Gilpin. Hosier's execution by lethal injection is scheduled for Tuesday.
The motive behind the killings was revealed by a former police officer, now an investigator, who stated that Hosier was in a romantic relationship with Angela Gilpin and became enraged when she ended it. Governor Parson, in a statement, emphasized Hosier's lack of remorse and the severity of his actions, stating that he deserved the maximum punishment under the law.
Despite the lack of pending court appeals, Hosier's attorney expressed disappointment at the Governor's decision, highlighting Hosier's traumatic past, including the loss of his father, an Indiana State Police sergeant killed in the line of duty when Hosier was 16.
Hosier, a Navy veteran who later worked as a firefighter and EMT, admitted to the affair with Angela Gilpin and her subsequent reconciliation with her husband. The couple was found shot to death near their apartment in 2009, with evidence pointing to Hosier as the prime suspect.
Following the murders, Hosier fled to Oklahoma, where he was apprehended after a brief chase. Police discovered an arsenal of weapons in his possession, including a submachine gun believed to be used in the killings. Despite maintaining his innocence and attributing the weapons to his hunting hobby, Hosier's conviction was upheld by the Missouri Supreme Court in 2019.
The impending execution of David Hosier would mark the second in Missouri this year, following the execution of Brian Dorsey in April for a separate double murder case.
