Charles Ray Crawford
Updated: 12/10/2025, 10:56:14 AM Wikipedia source
Charles Ray Crawford (February 10, 1966 – October 15, 2025) was an American convicted serial rapist and murderer. On January 29, 1993, four days before he was to stand trial for an unrelated rape and assault case, Crawford kidnapped a 20-year-old community college student named Kristy Ray from her home in Tippah County, Mississippi, before raping and murdering the victim. Crawford was later arrested and found guilty of the rape-murder of Ray, and sentenced to death in 1994, as well as 46 years' imprisonment for the unrelated rape case. Crawford's appeals were all dismissed and his death sentence was carried out on October 15, 2025.
Infobox
Born
(1966-02-10)February 10, 1966Mississippi, U.S.
Died
October 15, 2025(2025-10-15) (aged 59)Mississippi State Penitentiary, Mississippi, U.S.
Cause of death
Execution by lethal injection
Criminal status
Executed
Convictions
Capital murderRape (x2)Sexual batteryBurglaryAggravated assault
Criminal penalty
Death
Victims
1 dead, 2 survived
Date
April 13, 1991 (rape)January 29, 1993 (murder)
Locations
Walnut, Mississippi (1991)Tippah County, Mississippi (1993)
Imprisoned at
Mississippi State Penitentiary
Tables
· References
Preceded byRichard Gerald JordanJune 25, 2025
Preceded byRichard Gerald JordanJune 25, 2025
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Preceded byRichard Gerald JordanJune 25, 2025
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Charles Ray Crawford October 15, 2025
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Succeeded bymost recent
Executions carried out in the United States
Executions carried out in the United States
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Executions carried out in the United States
Preceded byLance Collin Shockley – MissouriOctober 14, 2025
Preceded byLance Collin Shockley – MissouriOctober 14, 2025
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Preceded byLance Collin Shockley – MissouriOctober 14, 2025
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Charles Ray Crawford – Mississippi October 15, 2025
Executions carried out in Mississippi
Succeeded byRichard Kenneth Djerf – ArizonaOctober 17, 2025
| Executions carried out in Mississippi | ||
| Preceded byRichard Gerald JordanJune 25, 2025 | Charles Ray Crawford October 15, 2025 | Succeeded bymost recent |
| Executions carried out in the United States | ||
| Preceded byLance Collin Shockley – MissouriOctober 14, 2025 | Charles Ray Crawford – Mississippi October 15, 2025 | Succeeded byRichard Kenneth Djerf – ArizonaOctober 17, 2025 |
References
- Mississippi Department of Correctionshttps://www.mdoc.ms.gov/sites/default/files/Inmate_Files/Crawford%2C%20Charles%20Ray.pdf
- Crawford v. State [2015], Supreme Court of Mississippi (United States).
- Crawford v. State [1998], Supreme Court of Mississippi (United States).
- Mississippi Todayhttps://mississippitoday.org/2025/09/12/mississippi-prepares-for-another-execution
- Mississippi Todayhttps://mississippitoday.org/2024/11/26/ag-fitch-seeks-another-death-row-execution-date
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/death-row-inmate-s-capital-murder-conviction-stands/2084410
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-death-penalty-case-before-us-high-court-1/2087096
- Clarion-Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/02/24/us-high-court-declines-to-hear-death-row-appeal/5782795/
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/crawford-seeks-more-appeals-to-avoid-execution/2087512
- Hattiesburg Americanhttps://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2014/04/17/miss-death-row-inmate-challenges-rape-conviction/7801325
- Clarion-Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/04/16/death-row-challenger/7802733
- Clarion-Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/05/23/miss-death-row-inmate-challenges-rape-conviction/9523425
- Clarion-Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/08/09/miss-death-row-inmate-challenges-rape-conviction/13825609
- Hattiesburg Americanhttps://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/crime/2014/08/09/inmate-challenges-conviction/13830461
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/ag-gets-more-time-to-file-brief-in-rape-case/2089936
- Hattiesburg Americanhttps://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/crime/2014/10/13/crawford-appeal/17217737
- Clarion-Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/10/14/ag-wants-death-row-inmates-rape-appeal-thrown/17236467
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-court-won-t-toss-rape-conviction-appeal/2091329
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-court-hears-arguments-in-rape-conviction-appeal/2092884
- Crawford v. Cain [2023], 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (United States).
- Crawford v. Cain [2024], 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (United States).
- Northeast Mississippi Daily Journalhttps://www.djournal.com/news/crime-law-enforcement/crawford-asks-u-s-supreme-court-to-hear-rape-conviction-appeal/article_47e8943a-f493-11ef-8ec0-330f8d306722.html
- Northeast Mississippi Daily Journalhttps://www.djournal.com/news/crime-law-enforcement/federal-appeals-court-rejects-appeal-of-death-row-inmate-charles-ray-crawford/article_86786b24-0176-11ee-9720-03cfae337ced.html
- Clarion-Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/02/24/execution-dates-requested-for-2-miss-inmates/5788481/
- WLBThttps://www.wlbt.com/story/25122574/high-court-wont-set-execution-date-for-inmate/
- Hattiesburg Americanhttps://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2014/04/01/high-court-wont-set-execution-date-for-inmate/7142983/
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/mississippi-death-penalty-execution-fa2009fe7110318e2e46685c0cd607e0
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2024/11/26/mississippi-ag-seeks-execution-date-for-charles-ray-crawford/76601549007/
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2025/06/03/mississippi-may-execute-another-prisoner-soon/84006244007/
- WLBThttps://www.wlbt.com/2025/06/02/attorney-general-lynn-fitch-asks-supreme-court-set-execution-charles-crawford
- Associated Press 9https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-execution-date-charles-ray-crawford-a3b7c022ae38479de65b43a9d2b70189
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/09/12/mississippi-supreme-court-execution-for-death-row-inmate-charles-ray-crawford-for-kristy-ray-murder/86114384007/
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/10/02/mississippi-death-penalty-execution-date-charles-ray-crawford-delay-sought-from-us-supreme-court/86479733007/
- WAPThttps://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-death-row-inmate-charles-crawford-seeks-stay-of-execution/68856956
- WAPThttps://www.wlbt.com/2025/10/05/mississippi-death-row-inmate-appeals-case-us-supreme-court/
- WLBThttps://www.wlbt.com/2025/10/09/state-supreme-court-charles-ray-crawfords-guilt-is-not-question
- Mississippi Todayhttps://mississippitoday.org/2025/10/15/mississippi-marks-second-execution-this-year/
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/10/07/mississippi-death-penalty-execution-charles-crawford-protest/86552791007/
- WLBThttps://www.wlbt.com/2025/10/07/he-needs-grace-prison-reform-advocates-make-final-plea-stop-upcoming-execution
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/10/13/gov-tate-reeves-no-clemency-for-charles-ray-crawford-mississippi-execution/86677367007
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/mississippi-execution-charles-crawford-kristy-ray-8d4665db6c5dc29821f7594c93cb41da
- CNNhttps://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/15/us/charles-crawford-mississippi-execution
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2025/10/15/charles-ray-crawford-last-meal-execution-mississippi/86694597007/
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/us-executions-2025-upcoming-florida-bf95609117487f4295d0b41e1b268c4a
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/13/death-penalty-executions-october/86482933007
- Clarion Ledgerhttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2025/10/10/mississippi-death-penalty-death-row-charles-crawford-execution/86570763007