Justice Looms: Mark Giddings Faces Execution for Horrific Double Murder

Oklahoma is bracing for another somber date with justice as Mark Giddings, a 56-year-old man convicted of the horrific 1997 murders of two women, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on June 27. His death warrant, signed by the state's highest court, brings a grim finality to a case that has haunted the state for over two decades, drawing a definitive close to the lives he so cruelly took.

Giddings' path to death row began with the discovery of his ex-girlfriend, Patricia Neufeld.

The former lovers had been seen together on July 10, 1997, before Giddings brutally strangled Neufeld, ultimately leaving her lifeless body in an isolated rural area. The callous act marked the beginning of a descent into further violence that would claim another innocent life just days later.

The tragedy deepened when, on July 14, 1997, Giddings picked up hitchhiker Lisa Wilson.

What should have been an act of kindness quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal. Giddings again resorted to violence, strangling Wilson, sexually assaulting her, and abandoning her body by a fence line in Payne County. The senselessness of these crimes sent shockwaves through the community, as investigators pieced together the trail of terror left by a man seemingly consumed by dark impulses.

Following his arrest, Giddings confessed to both murders, telling authorities that he "lost it." During his 1999 trial, his defense team attempted to argue that Giddings had a history of emotional instability, particularly when under the influence of alcohol.

However, the overwhelming evidence and the brutality of his actions led the jury to find him guilty, recommending the death penalty – a sentence upheld by the court.

Over the subsequent years, Giddings and his legal team launched numerous appeals, primarily citing ineffective assistance of counsel during his original trial.

These appeals claimed that crucial evidence, particularly concerning his history of violence against women and his mental state, was not adequately presented. Despite these efforts, his appeals were consistently denied by both state and federal courts, paving the way for the impending execution.

The execution of Mark Giddings will mark Oklahoma's 12th since the state resumed capital punishment in 2021, following a six-year moratorium.

Oklahoma remains one of the nation's leading states in the number of executions carried out, a stark reminder of its unwavering commitment to capital punishment for its most heinous crimes. As June 27 approaches, the victims' families will finally see the culmination of a long, arduous journey for justice, while Giddings faces the ultimate consequence for his unforgivable acts.