Death Row Inmate Spared Minutes Before Execution
In a dramatic and rare turn of events on November 13, 2025, Tremane Wood, a 46-year-old inmate on Oklahoma's death row, was granted clemency by Gov. Kevin Stitt just moments before his scheduled execution. The decision to commute Wood's death sentence to life in prison without parole stunned many, but the story took an even more unexpected twist when Wood was found unresponsive in his cell just hours later. Officials attributed his medical emergency to stress and dehydration, underscoring the intense physical and emotional toll of his near-execution experience.
The Man, the Crime, and the Clemency
Tremane Wood had been on death row at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester for more than two decades, convicted of fatally stabbing 19-year-old Ronnie Wipf during a botched robbery in 2002. Wipf, a young man who grew up in a Hutterite religious community in Montana, was the victim of a crime that deeply affected both families and the community. Wood maintained throughout his incarceration that it was his brother, Zjaiton Wood, who delivered the fatal stab wounds. Zjaiton, who was sentenced to life without parole, died by suicide in prison in 2019 after admitting to the killing in court.
Gov. Stitt's decision to grant clemency was influenced heavily by this family dynamic and the support of Wipf's family, who advocated for forgiveness and mercy. Stitt cited their "Christian forgiveness and love" as a key factor in his choice to commute Wood's sentence, aligning it with the punishment his brother had received, as reproted by the New York Post. This rare act of clemency marked only the second time in nearly seven years that Stitt had spared a death row inmate, highlighting the exceptional nature of the case.
A Last-Minute Reprieve
The timing of the clemency added to the drama. Wood was reportedly waiting in a cell adjacent to Oklahoma's death chamber when he learned that his execution had been halted. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had voted 3-2 to recommend clemency just days earlier, a recommendation Stitt accepted despite opposition from some quarters, including Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who said in a statement he was "disappointed that the governor has granted clemency for this dangerous murderer, but respect[ed] that this was his decision to make," as reported by the Associated Press.
Wood's legal team had argued that his original trial was flawed, citing an ineffective defense attorney and prosecutorial misconduct, including the concealment of plea agreements with key witnesses. Despite these claims, prosecutors painted Wood as a dangerous individual who continued to engage in criminal activity while incarcerated, including gang involvement and ordering attacks on other inmates, as reported by The Guardian. Wood accepted responsibility for his prison misconduct and participation in the robbery but denied being the actual killer during testimony last week. He added, "I regret my role in everything that happened that night."
The Medical Emergency: Stress and Dehydration
Just hours after the clemency announcement, prison guards reportedly found Wood unresponsive during a routine check in his cell. He was rushed to the infirmary, where officials determined that dehydration and stress had caused his medical event. According to the Associated Press, Wood himself recounted that he had been lying on his bunk alone and believed he might have lost consciousness and rolled off the bed. He reported waking up with injuries to his head and lip but denied any attempt to harm himself. By the evening, he was stable and alert, a relief to those following the case closely.
This incident sheds light on the immense psychological strain that death row inmates endure, especially in the moments leading up to an execution. The uncertainty and fear can manifest physically, as Wood's case painfully illustrates. His son, Brendan Wood, who had been present at the prison awaiting the execution, described the clemency as a "mental torture" due to its last-minute nature, emphasizing the emotional rollercoaster experienced by the family, as reported by The Guardian.
The Aftermath and Broader Implications
Gov. Stitt's clemency order explicitly states that Wood will not be eligible for any future commutation, pardon, or parole, ensuring that he remains in prison for life, as reported by The New York Post. This condition mirrors the terms set in a similar clemency case in 2021 involving Julius Jones, another high-profile death row inmate whose sentence was commuted by Stitt.
While Wood's life has been spared, his journey is far from over. He remains incarcerated at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. His case will likely continue to be a point of discussion among legal experts, advocates, and policymakers as Oklahoma and other states grapple with the future of the death penalty.qqq
References: Oklahoma inmate whose life was spared by governor later found unresponsive in cell | Oklahoma governor grants clemency to death row inmate with minutes to spare | Oklahoma Man on Death Row Spared Minutes Before His Execution. He Was Later Found Unresponsive in His Cell | Oklahoma inmate's life spared moments before scheduled lethal injection | Oklahoma
