USA - Oklahoma. James Pavatt was executed on November 12

November 12, 2026 - Oklahoma. James Pavatt was executed on November 12

Pacatt, an Air Force veteran, was executed by lethal injection at 10 a.m. local time Thursday (Nov. 12) at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, two days before his 73rd birthday. 

His time of death was 10:12 a.m.

Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections says Pavatt's execution went forward as planned, saying it was "uneventful" and that Pavatt didn't say any last words.

It was the state's fourth and final execution of 2026.

In 2003, authorities sentenced Pavatt to death for the 2001 murder of Rob Andrew, a 39-year-old Oklahoma City advertising executive and father of two.

Pavatt, who was once one of Andrew's close friends, was having an affair with Andrew's wife, Brenda, who was also found guilty due to her involvement in the murder and sentenced to death.

Prosecutors argued that Pavatt killed Andrew for an $800,000 insurance policy.

Pavatt becomes the 4th person executed in Oklahoma this year, the 133rd overall since Oklahoma resumed executions in 1990, the 34th execution of the year in the US, and the n° 1688 overall since the nation resumed executions in 1977.