Brad Keith Sigmon was an American man who killed two people in 2001. He killed his ex-girlfriend’s parents in South Carolina. The victims’ names were David 62 & Gladys Larke 59 years old.
After the week of Brad and his girlfriend broke up, he beat her parents to death with a baseball bat.
After that court announced that Sigmon was guilty and murdering 2 people. He also got 30 years jail punishment for breaking into Larke’s home and stealing from them. He was eliminated by firing squad on 7 March 2025.
Brad was the first person eliminated by the firing squad in 15 years after the Ronnie Lee Gardner. He was also the oldest person ever legally killed in South Carolina.
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Brad Keith Sigmon |
| Date of Birth | November 12, 1957 |
| Place of Birth | South Carolina, U.S. |
| Date of Death | March 7, 2025 |
| Place of Death | Broad River Correctional Institution, Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Cause of Death | Execution by firing squad |
| Convictions | – Two counts of murder – First-degree burglary |
| Victims | – William David Larke, 62 – Gladys Gwendolyn Larke, 59 |
| Date of Crimes | April 27, 2001 |
| Weapon Used | Baseball bat |
| Sentence | – Death penalty for each murder count – 30 years imprisonment for first-degree burglary |
| Execution Method | Firing squad |
| Notable Facts | – First person in almost 15 years to be executed by firing squad in the U.S. since Ronnie Lee Gardner – Oldest person executed in South Carolina at age 67 |
Personal Life of Brad Sigmon
Brad Sigmon was the oldest in the five kids. He was born in South Carolina, USA. His mother was only 17 years old when he born. His father was in the United States military, so family migrated often even living peacefully in Philippines.
In a young age, his parents got divorced. His father has a habit of drinking and often beats his mother. Brad tried to protect his mother, so his father abused him. After they married again and lived like a family.
He started working to help his family at the age of 16. After his parent’s divorce, he supported his younger siblings. He was arrested for armed robbery in Greer at 18 years old.
He dropped out of school just weeks before graduation in 1977. Sigmon got married and moved to Manning in South Carolina.
His family said that he is a loving son, father, and brother. However, the court proved that he used drugs and had mental health issues. He returned to Greenville Country to live peacefully until the arrest again.
Murder incident of David & Gladys Larke
In 2001, 43-year-old Brad Sigmon killed his ex-girlfriend’s parents. David Larke (62 years old) and Gladys Lark (59 Years Old) in Taylors.
Brad Sigmon is in a relationship with Rebecca Barbare for three years. They lived together near her parent’s home. Barbare broke up with him and began to live with her parents. He stalked her and requested to return together.
The night before the murders, Sigmon & his friend Eugene Strube took drugs and fully drunk. He told his friend that he had planned that he would tie up his girlfriend’s parents and force Barbare to come with him. Eugene refused to help him.
Sigmon entered the Larkes’ home and found David in the kitchen and Gladys in the living room. He attacked them with a baseball bat, hitting them again & again until they died. Each of them was hit 9 times in the skull. After that, he stole David’s gun and waited for Barbare to return.
When Barbare came, he forced her to get into a car at gunpoint. He planned to drive to North Carolina, but his girlfriend jumped out of the car and ran away. He fired and chased her but she escaped.
After the murders, police began to search for Sigmon to charge him with murder, kidnapping and attempted murder cases. He was caught after 11 days in Gatlinburg and sent back to South Carolina. The state decided to legally kill him for his crimes.
Murder Trails of Sigmon Brad
After his arrest, Brad Sigmon was charged by a South Carolina grand jury with 2 murders, first-degree burglary, and kidnapping.
His trial was held in July 2002, and he accepted his crimes. The jury had to decide his punishment. The prosecution asked for the death penalty and said the victims died horribly and did not deserve mercy.
The defense said he had done that due to relationship problems and requested lifetime prison instead of death. They said he behaved well in jail and had past drug issues as a reason to save his life.
On 20 July 2002, the jury gave Sigmon the death penalty for both murders. He also got 30 years of punishment in jail for robbery.
Brad Sigmon’s Legal Appeals & Rejections
Sigmon tried many times to change his death sentence, but all his appeals were rejected. Below are the important details of his appeals:
- The South Carolina Supreme Court rejected his appeal against his death sentence and murder conviction in December 2005.
- His alternate appeal to the same court was also rejected in May 2013.
- The United States Court in South Carolina denied his first federal appeal in September 2018.
- The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected another appeal in April 2020
- The United States Supreme Court rejected the final appeal in January 2021.
Death Warrants 2021 & 2022
Brad Sigmon was supposed to be legally killed on 12 February 2021. One week before, the South Carolina Court stopped it. The state did not have the drugs required for lethal injection and it was only the method at that time to eliminate legally.
South Carolina stopped the process because they have not had drugs since 2011. Companies also refused to sell them. To solve this issue, lawmakers passed a new law to add the electric chair and firing squad as legal killing options.
After the new law, his elimination was planned for 18 June 2021 by the electric chair. Another criminal Freddi Eugene Owens was set to die on 25 June 2021. But the court stopped both procedures. The court said the criminal should select between the electric chair and the firing squad.
Both criminals said that the electric chair was too painful and chose the firing squad. After that, the elimination was planned again for 13 May 2022. It was stopped again due to the court case against the electric chair and firing squad.
Lawsuit Against the Execution Methods
Brad Sigmon and other criminals took legal action against South Carolina. They said that the electric chair and firing squad is not good and very painful. They also said that these methods were wrong. The state denied and said both followed the law.
The South Carolina Supreme Court dismissed the case and saying that both killing methods were legal. This decision allowed the state to restart the procedure. At that time five criminals including Sigmon, had no chance to appeal and were waiting for execution.
After a long time of 13 years, legally killed restarted in South Carolina. Freddie Owens was eliminated on 20 September 2024, followed by Richard Moore on 1 November 2024. Marion Bowman Jr was legally killed on 31 January 2025.
Execution Delay
The South Carolina Supreme Court ordered six legal eliminations in a year on 28 August 2024. Each has 35 days distance. The six names are given below
- Freddie Eugene Owens
- Richard Bernard Moore
- Marion Bowman Jr
- Steven Bixby
- Brad Sigmon
- Mikal Mahdi
Owens and Moore were the first to be eliminated in September and November. Sigmon and Bowman and the other 2 requested to delay until after the holidays. Their lawyers said that six eliminations were so closed.
The Court agreed to stop elimination until January 2025. After his Bowman’s execution was scheduled and done on 31 January 2025.
Final Appeal & Execution Date
The South Carolina Supreme Court gave Brad Sigmon’s death warrant. They held his legal elimination for 7 March 2025.
He had a deadline of 21 February to choose his elimination methods like lethal injection, electric chair, or firing squad. If he didn’t decide the electric chair would be used as default.
Sigmon requested to delay his legal elimination, so he could see the autopsy report of Marion Bowman Jr. He was afraid of the electric chair and also worried that the lethal injection would be a slow & painful death.
On 21 February, he decides on the firing squad, being the first person in South Carolina to be legally eliminated by this method. He was also the oldest person legally killed at 67 years old.
Family’s Response to Execution of Brad Sigmon
Rebecca Barbare, his ex-girlfriend, said she did not support the death penalty. But still wanted him to face justice for killing her parents. She said they were kind and caring people.
Her son planned to attend the legal elimination. His son believed that Dad should pay the price for murders.
Final Execution of Brad Sigmon
On 7 March 2025, Brad Sigmon was legally eliminated by firing squad at Broad River Correctional Institution. The firing started at 6:05 pm and he was dead at 6:08 pm. He became the fourth person in the United States to be legally killed this way.
For his last meal, he ordered KFC, biscuits and sweet tea. He wanted to share extra chicken with other fellow criminals but the officer denied his request.
In his last words, Brad Sigmon spoke against the death penalty. He said only God had the right to take lives. Lawyers, reporters, and family members are the witnesses of his legal elimination.
Conclusion
Brad Sigmon killed her ex-girlfriend’s parents. His case lasted numerous years, with many requests and delays. In the end, he was legally eliminated by the firing squad on 7 March 2025. His case brought attention to the debate over the death penalty and different execution methods. While the victims’ families saw it as justice the death penalty should be still used.
Commonly Asked Questions
What are the last words of Brad Sigmon?
In his last words, Brad Sigmon spoke against the death penalty. He said only God had the right to take lives.
Is firing squad was easy method of execution for Brad Sigmon as compared to lethal injection?
He thought that the lethal injection was a slow and painful method of execution. So he preferred the firing squad.
Who is David Larke and Gladys Larke?
David and Gladys Larke were the parents of Brad’s girlfriend. They were killed by Brad with baseball bat.