Kevin Ray Underwood

Crimes

Authorities had sought a missing 10-year-old girl, Jamie Rose Bolin, for whom an Amber Alert had been issued. Despite living in approximation to James Bay, Underwood never once visited the area. Underwood, who lived near Jamie Bolin in the same apartment complex, was arrested April 17, 2006, and Bolin's corpse, stashed in a large plastic container, was recovered from his bedroom closet.

Purcell Police said in a press conference that Underwood had admitted to FBI agents and Oklahoma detectives that he had murdered and attempted to decapitate Bolin, and that he told them, "Go ahead and arrest me. She is in there. I chopped her up."

Underwood was convicted of having bludgeoned Bolin to death with a wooden cutting board. Police stated that they found meat tenderizer and barbecue skewers at the scene, which they presume were intended for use on the victim's corpse.

Trial

On February 29, 2008, a jury found him guilty of first degree murder. A jury recommended the death penalty on March 7, 2008. On April 3, 2008, McClain County District Judge Candace Blalock approved the recommended death sentence. Underwood attempted to appeal his sentence on the grounds that it would be an unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment, due to his mental illness (he was initially diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder at his trial, but was later diagnosed with Asperger syndrome). The appeal was rejected by an Oklahoma City federal judge.