In a somber end to the year's executions, Oklahoma carried out the death penalty on Kevin Ray Underwood, 45, on Thursday morning. Underwood's execution, the 25th and final in the nation this year, took place at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. He was pronounced dead at 10:14 a.m. after receiving a lethal injection.

Underwood, a former grocery store employee, confessed to the horrific 2006 murder of 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin. He lured her into his apartment, where he fatally struck her with a cutting board before suffocating and sexually assaulting her. He also admitted to nearly decapitating her in his bathtub, though he ultimately abandoned his plans to consume her remains.

Underwood's last meal, consisting of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, pinto beans, a hot roll, a cheeseburger and fries with ketchup, and a cola, was provided Wednesday evening. He declined the presence of a chaplain during the execution but requested sedatives before the three-drug lethal injection procedure, which coincided with his 45th birthday.

Witnesses reported that Underwood expressed remorse for his actions and apologized to the Bolin family. He also reportedly lamented the "needless cruelty" of his execution falling on his birthday and just days before Christmas.

Underwood's defense team had argued against the death penalty, citing his extensive history of abuse and significant mental health challenges, including autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, and various paraphilias. However, the prosecution countered that mental illness does not excuse harming children. A final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of execution was denied earlier Thursday morning.

Underwood's conviction for first-degree murder in Cleveland County dates back to April 3, 2008. He was 28 at the time he entered the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) on April 7, 2008. According to the ODOC, Oklahoma has executed 206 men and three women since 1915. Currently, 32 men and one woman are on death row in the state. ODOC Director Steven Harpe released a statement acknowledging the impact of the execution on those involved, particularly the Bolin family, and emphasized the agency's commitment to professionalism and respect throughout the process.