Man who fatally stabbed 20-year-old woman with butcher’s knife claimed he acted in self-defense; issued unexpected final statement on death row

The crime that sealed this man’s fate was the brutal murder of a 20-year-old mother of two. The intricate web of events, from his prior criminal acts to his final moments in prison, underlines the gravity of his actions, the repercussions they brought, and the diverse opinions on the matter.

In 1995, Jermaine C. was sentenced to death row for the murder of 20-year-old Sharonda C., a mother of two. Prior to this crime, Jermaine had been incarcerated for assaulting another woman using a claw hammer, iron, and kitchen toaster before committing a serious sexual crime against her. He had escaped from prison only a few weeks before he took up residence with Sharonda.

A relative alerted the authorities when Sharonda failed to pick up her children from daycare. Her body was subsequently discovered, showing evidence of three stab wounds on her neck, later determined to have been inflicted by a butcher’s knife. The evidence suggested she had faced a violent altercation that led to her death.

Jermaine’s whereabouts were later determined in another state, where he had taken refuge with his uncle. However, following a conversation in which he confessed to his mother about Sharonda’s death, she reportedly persuaded him to surrender to the authorities.

Years passed, and at age 51, Jermaine met his final moments at the state penitentiary. He was administered the lethal injection at 10 a.m. on July 20, and he was pronounced dead 13 minutes later. Before his death, when asked for any final words, Jermaine stated, “Yes, I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore, I am saved. Thank you.”

In the lead-up to his execution, Jermaine made a last-minute appeal, asserting his Native American heritage and arguing that he shouldn’t be under Oklahoma’s jurisdiction, among other reasons. This appeal, however, was rejected by a federal appeals court.

Throughout the process, Jermaine maintained that Sharonda’s death resulted from an act of self-defense. In a statement made via video to the parole board, he expressed, “I am deeply disheartened that the act of defending my life and the acts that she initiated against me ever happened. The ending of human life was never desired, planned, or premeditated.” Despite his appeal, clemency was not granted.

In a comment on the matter, Sharonda’s daughter conveyed, “Relief for my family, relief for my sister’s pain, relief for my grandmother that didn’t make it to see this day.”