Murder of Carl Graham Jr.
Updated: 12/11/2025, 8:22:04 AM Wikipedia source
On March 20, 2005, Sergeant Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. (March 3, 1968 – March 20, 2005), a state patrol trooper in the US state of Missouri, was fatally shot by Lance Collin Shockley (January 19, 1977 – October 14, 2025), a suspect in Sergeant Graham's investigation into a deadly car accident. Shockley was arrested three days later for the fatal hit-and-run, and was subsequently charged with the murder of Sergeant Graham, who officials believe Shockley murdered in a failed attempt to stop the investigation of the accident. Shockley was found guilty of first-degree murder, and sentenced to death by Carter County Circuit Court Judge David Evans in accordance with Missouri law after jurors deadlocked on a sentence during the penalty phase of the trial. Shockley was executed on October 14, 2025.
Infobox
Born
Carl Dewayne Graham Jr.(1968-03-03)March 3, 1968St. Charles County, Missouri, U.S.
Died
March 20, 2005(2005-03-20) (aged 37)Carter County, Missouri, U.S.
Cause of death
Murder by shooting
Resting place
Stanfield Cemetery
Occupation
Missouri State Highway Patrol (Sergeant)
Tables
· References
Preceded byChristopher CollingsDecember 3, 2024
Preceded byChristopher CollingsDecember 3, 2024
Executions carried out in Missouri
Preceded byChristopher CollingsDecember 3, 2024
Executions carried out in Missouri
Lance Shockley October 14, 2025
Executions carried out in Missouri
Succeeded bymost recent
Executions carried out in the United States
Executions carried out in the United States
Executions carried out in Missouri
Executions carried out in the United States
Preceded bySamuel Lee Smithers – FloridaOctober 14, 2025
Preceded bySamuel Lee Smithers – FloridaOctober 14, 2025
Executions carried out in Missouri
Preceded bySamuel Lee Smithers – FloridaOctober 14, 2025
Executions carried out in Missouri
Lance Shockley – Missouri October 14, 2025
Executions carried out in Missouri
Succeeded byCharles Ray Crawford – MississippiOctober 15, 2025
| Executions carried out in Missouri | ||
| Preceded byChristopher CollingsDecember 3, 2024 | Lance Shockley October 14, 2025 | Succeeded bymost recent |
| Executions carried out in the United States | ||
| Preceded bySamuel Lee Smithers – FloridaOctober 14, 2025 | Lance Shockley – Missouri October 14, 2025 | Succeeded byCharles Ray Crawford – MississippiOctober 15, 2025 |
References
- State v. Shockley [2013], Missouri Supreme Court (United States).
- KY3https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Man-who-killed-Missouri-trooper-loses-appeal-433906243.html
- St. Louis Post-Dispatchhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-police-question/54141547/
- St. Louis Post-Dispatchhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-man-is-charged-i/54097108/
- St. Louis Post-Dispatchhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/54097893/
- St. Louis Post-Dispatchhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/54097893/
- Southeast Missourianhttps://www.semissourian.com/news/2005-murder-suspect-still-awaiting-trial-in-carter-county-1431708
- Wichita Eaglehttps://www.kansas.com/news/article1005976.html
- The Springfield News-Leaderhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-news-leader-jurors-chose/54141188/
- Dexter Statesmanhttps://www.dexterstatesman.com/news/jurors-hear-ballistic-evidence-1525275
- Southeast Missourianhttps://www.semissourian.com/news/prosecution-defense-rest-cases-in-van-buren-mans-murder-trial-1525554
- The Springfield News-Leaderhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-news-leader/54098730/
- Daily American Republichttps://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-american-republic-jury-part-1/160143113/
- Columbia Missourianhttps://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/man-found-guilty-in-fatal-ambush-of-missouri-state-trooper/article_0db62375-07b8-55c5-a1f3-363eb8f2941c.html
- Daily American Republichttps://www.darnews.com/news/graham-family-verdict-is-answer-to-prayer-1526215
- Baxter Bulletinhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/baxter-bulletin-jury-divided-on-penalty/54098439/
- KRCG TVhttps://krcgtv.com/news/local/mo-jury-divided-on-penalty-in-trooper-death-case
- Southeast Missourianhttps://www.semissourian.com/news/shockley-sentence-for-murder-now-up-to-judge-after-carter-county-jury-cant-decide-1526030
- The Springfield News-Leaderhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-news-leader/54098642/
- Columbia Daily Tribunehttps://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2009/05/23/missouri-man-sentenced-to-death/21567326007/
- Columbia Missourianhttps://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/man-who-killed-missouri-trooper-gets-death-sentence/article_4cc2cba3-3606-52b9-8171-7b89dd85b6d9.html
- Dexter Statesmanhttps://www.dexterstatesman.com/news/appeal-heard-tuesday-on-troopers-killer-1965001
- Southeast Missourianhttps://www.semissourian.com/news/supreme-court-upholds-conviction-in-trooper-death-1993554
- OzarksFirsthttps://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/judge-upholds-conviction-in-troopers-murder/
- KRCG TVhttps://krcgtv.com/news/local/conviction-upheld-in-missouri-troopers-killing-in-2005
- The Springfield News-Leaderhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-news-leader/117125070/
- Southeast Missourianhttps://www.missourinet.com/2018/09/18/missouri-supreme-court-hears-appeal-from-man-sentenced-to-death-for-killing-state-trooper-for-a-second-time/
- Daily American Republichttps://www.darnews.com/news/convicted-of-troopers-death-on-death-row-shockley-appeal-reaches-mo-supreme-court-2552705
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/general-news-98b9be3f3c3c4d408f907ba61c9897d3
- Southeast Missourianhttps://www.semissourian.com/news/missouri-supreme-court-upholds-conviction-of-man-in-killing-of-highway-patrol-trooper-2602143
- Shockley v. State [2019], Missouri Supreme Court (United States).
- Courthouse Newshttps://www.courthousenews.com/supreme-court-declines-to-review-death-row-prisoners-right-to-appeal/
- MSNBC Newshttps://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/sotomayor-jackson-supreme-court-dissent-shockley-rcna198862
- OzarksFirsthttps://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/lance-shockley-execution-scheduled-2025/
- Missouri Independenthttps://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/25/execution-date-set-for-man-sentenced-to-die-by-a-missouri-judge-over-2005-murder/
- Springfield News-Leaderhttps://www.news-leader.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/26/mo-supreme-court-sets-execution-date-for-man-despite-jury-deadlock/84355744007/
- Missouri Independenthttps://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/10/advocates-for-a-man-sentenced-to-death-by-a-missouri-judge-ask-governor-for-clemency/
- Missouri Independenthttps://missouriindependent.com/briefs/governor-denies-clemency-to-a-man-sentenced-to-death-by-a-missouri-judge/
- KRCG 13https://krcgtv.com/news/local/governor-kehoe-denies-clemency-for-lance-shockley-execution-set-for-october-14
- Associated Presshttps://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-lance-shockley-65034ffbd169154ecc1b593a072b7dd2
- 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
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/14/florida-missouri-executions-lance-shockley-samuel-smithers/86694487007/
- UPIhttps://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/10/14/missouri-execution/6111760429368/