Oklahoma Governor Grants Clemency to Death Row Inmate

Thu Nov 13 2025 21:51:23 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Governor Kevin Stitt commutes the sentence of Tremane Wood to life in prison without parole just before execution, citing a thorough review and recommendation from the Pardon and Parole Board.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has granted clemency to Tremane Wood, commuting his death sentence to life without parole. Wood, who was convicted for his involvement in the 2002 stabbing of a young farmworker during a robbery, will not be eligible for parole. The decision reflects significant family support for clemency and was met with mixed reactions from prosecutors and the state's attorney general.

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — In a significant decision, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has spared the life of death row inmate Tremane Wood, commuting his sentence to life without the possibility of parole just moments before his scheduled execution.

Wood, now 46, was sentenced to death for the stabbing of Ronnie Wipf, a 19-year-old migrant farmworker from Montana, during a botched robbery in 2002. This action marks only the second time Stitt has granted clemency during his nearly seven years in office.

“After a thorough review of the facts and prayerful consideration, I have chosen to accept the Pardon and Parole Board’s recommendation to commute Tremane Wood’s sentence to life without parole,” Stitt stated in his decision, emphasizing that it reflects a punishment similar to that received by Wood's brother, who was also involved in the crime.

Under the executive order, Wood will not be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the remainder of his life.

Governor Stitt's clemency decision comes as a surprise to some, including Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who expressed disappointment, calling Wood “a dangerous murderer.” Drummond, however, acknowledged respect for the governor's authority in making such a decision.

Wood’s case has generated extensive attention due to the support of Wipf's family and the surviving victim. His attorney, Amanda Bass Castro Alves, said that the decision honors their wishes and sought to provide them with peace.

During the clemency hearing, while acknowledging his participation in the robbery, Wood maintained that he did not stab Wipf; that act was allegedly committed by his brother, Zjaiton Wood, who received a life sentence without parole and later admitted to the crime before dying in prison in 2019.

The recommendation for clemency by the Pardon and Parole Board, which was narrowly passed with a 3-2 vote, has resulted in a polarized response among those involved in the case, reflecting the complexities of justice and rehabilitation within the current system.