A man sentenced to death for a rape and murder he allegedly committed in 1993 was executed on Wednesday in the southern US state of Mississippi.

THE Charles Crawford59, was executed last night for the rape and murder of Christy Rae, of a 20-year-old student whom he kidnapped.

This was the third execution of the week in the US – all by lethal injection chemicals – following those last Tuesday in Florida (southeast) and Missouri (central). Fourth run is scheduled to take place in Arizona (southwest) tomorrow Friday.

Five more are expected by the end of the year.

Overall they have been done so far 38 executions in the country in 2025. This is the highest number since 2013, when they took place 39.

In the great majority of them (32) they were carried out by injections of lethal chemical substances.

Four were done by inducing asphyxiation due to nitrogen inhalation, a highly controversial method that UN experts consider a form of “torture” and was first used in Alabama (south) in 2024. Two others were by law enforcement agencies in South Carolina; before this year, the method had been used in the country since 2010.

The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states. Three more – California, Oregon, Pennsylvania – apply a moratorium on its application, by decisions of their governors.