Alabama man put to death for the murder of a 5-year-old girl in last of three US executions in a day

Historic Day for US Justice System: Three States Execute Inmates Within Hours

Earthguardiansonline.com – The American criminal justice system marked a significant milestone this week as Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Alabama carried out three separate executions in a single day—the first time this has occurred since January 2010. The coordinated but coincidental scheduling of these capital punishments highlights a broader national trend toward increased use of the death penalty across multiple states.

What began as routine scheduling decisions resulted in a remarkable convergence of justice. Oklahoma executed Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez at 10:13 a.m. Central Daylight Time, followed shortly by Tennessee’s Anthony Darrell Hines at 10:43 a.m. CDT. Alabama’s Jeremy Williams completed the trio later that evening at 6:16 p.m. CDT, bringing the total to three men put to death by lethal injection in one calendar day.

Oklahoma’s Final Act for Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez

At the state penitentiary in rural McAlester, 70-year-old Cuesta-Rodriguez became the third person Oklahoma executed this year. Convicted of fatally shooting his girlfriend Olimpia Fisher at their Oklahoma City home in 2003, he had consistently expressed regret for his actions. When asked if he had final words, Cuesta-Rodriguez turned to look at his two attending relatives and mouthed “I love you” before remaining silent.

His breathing was labored for several minutes before he was pronounced dead at 10:13 a.m. CDT.

The circumstances of Fisher’s death were particularly harrowing. She had been planning to leave Cuesta-Rodriguez when he shot her in one eye. Rather than immediately ending her life, he waited approximately eight minutes while she screamed for help before delivering the fatal shot to her other eye. His attorneys noted that he suffered from brain damage and post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a difficult childhood in Cuba.

Fisher’s daughters, Cinthya Allen and Katya Wallis, issued a statement expressing hope that the execution would raise awareness about domestic violence prevention. They emphasized that honoring their mother meant “raising our families to reflect the love and faith in God that she taught us.”

Tennessee’s Execution of Anthony Darrell Hines

Just thirty minutes after Cuesta-Rodriguez’s death, Anthony Darrell Hines received his lethal injection in Tennessee for the 1985 murder of Catherine Jean Jenkins. The 66-year-old had stabbed the 54-year-old motel maid to death while she was working in Kingston Springs. When asked about final words, Hines responded, “not right now, thank you,” before adding, “Tell my son hello.”

“I hope he felt severe pain because what he did to my mother is nothing compared to what he may have just gone through,” Dennis Jenkins said.

Hines’ son, who had not seen his father since age three, reconnected with him just four days before the execution and witnessed the proceedings. Approximately four minutes after the death chamber curtain opened, Hines asked his spiritual adviser, “How long do I have?” Witnesses reported hearing groans and heavy breathing as the adviser placed her hands on his shoulders and prayed.

Jenkins’ son later described how his mother had only a plastic spray bottle to defend herself against the knife attack. Hines had previously appealed unsuccessfully to both the governor and courts, arguing that the doctor who oversaw a May execution was unqualified and might botch his own execution as well.

Alabama’s Jeremy Williams Seeks Closure

The day concluded with Alabama executing Jeremy Williams for the 2021 rape and murder of young Georgia girl Kamarie Holland. Williams, 42, had pleaded guilty to the crime and declined to appeal, instead requesting that his death sentence be carried out promptly. In letters to the Alabama attorney general’s office, he sought an immediate execution date so his victim’s family “may have some type of closure and satisfaction which they deserve.”

“I want to thank God for forgiving me for my sins so I can meet him in peace,” Williams said in his final words.

Williams rocked his head back and forth, smiled, and appeared to sing or speak before becoming still on the gurney. He had been pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m. CDT following the injection.

A National Trend of Increased Executions

While the triple execution was coincidental in scheduling, it reflects a broader pattern of rising capital punishment activity across the United States. Eleven states executed a total of 47 people in 2025, marking the highest annual figure since 2009. With Thursday’s executions, 22 inmates have now been put to death this year, with nearly a dozen more scheduled to follow.

The last time three executions occurred on the same day was January 7, 2010, when Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas carried out their respective death sentences. A similar attempt in 2018 fell short when a Texas man received a reprieve and Alabama experienced technical difficulties with an IV line.

Florida has also been active in capital punishment, executing two men on the same day in July and putting 31 prisoners to death since the start of 2025. These numbers suggest that states are increasingly willing to utilize the death penalty, even as public debate continues about its effectiveness and fairness.