Missouri governor’s office confirms Hosier’s execution will be carried out

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The execution of a man convicted of murder in the death of a Jefferson City couple will be carried out on Tuesday, a Monday press release from Gov. Mike Parson’s office confirmed.

David Hosier, 69, was found guilty by a jury on Oct. 12, 2013, for first-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree burglary and illegal gun possession. On Nov. 26, 2013. he was sentenced to death.

Hosier is set to be executed at 6 p.m. Tuesday. He is accused of killing Rodney and Angela Gilpin in September 2009. Hosier and Angela Gilpin had an affair but she was trying to reconcile with her husband when the couple was found shot to death at her apartment.

Hosier asked Gov. Mike Parson for clemency in May.

"Ms. Angela Gilpin had her life stolen by David Hosier because he could not accept it when she ended their romantic involvement. He displays no remorse for his senseless violence," Parson said in the release. "For these heinous acts, Hosier earned maximum punishment under the law. I cannot imagine the pain experienced by Angela’s and Rodney’s loved ones but hope that carrying out Hosier’s sentence according to the Court’s order brings closure."

Hosier's spiritual advisor, Jeff Hood, said that he and Hosier would have been more surprised had Parson granted Hosier clemency, due to the governor denying it in the past for others. Hood said Hosier learned he had been denied clemency Monday afternoon, and has come to terms with his future.

"He's prepared for what is to come and he has a firm belief in God," Hood said. "He's tired of being in prison, he's tired of being in solitary confinement and I think he truly believes that he's about to be set free."

Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty submitted a petition last week with more than 6,000 signatures that asked Parson to give clemency to Hosier.

Co-Directer of MADP Michelle Hall told ABC 17 News on Monday evening that she's disappointed with the governor's decision to carry out the execution because it doesn't give people mercy.

Tuesday's execution of Hosier will be the 11th execution under Parson since he became governor in 2018. Four of those cases have been in Mid-Missouri, with Hosier's marking the fourth.

Ernest Johnson was executed on Oct. 5, 2021 more than 25 years after he killed three gas station workers. On June 6, 2023, the state executed Michael Tisius, who was accused of killing two Randolph County officers in 2000. Most recently, Brian Dorsey was executed in April for killing his cousin, Sarah Bonnie and her husband Ben in Callaway County in 2006.

All three of the men asked Parson for clemency.

Hall said she doesn't believe the decision should be left in the hands of the state whether or not a person lives or dies.

"When we seek clemency we are not asking the governor to open a door and let a person out," Hall said. "We're simply asking them to take their death sentence away and allow them to stay incarcerated like other people who have done something similar are incarcerated."

Hosier had told the Associated Press that he was unhappy with the contents of the clemency Petition. According to the Associated Press, Hosier’s lawyer said there are not pending court appeals and claims the petition focuses too much on the traumatic event that altered his life at age 16 — the 1971 murder of his father, an Indiana State Police sergeant.

Hood said Hosier maintains his innocence.

"When you look at the clemency petition, those are his lawyers' words, not necessarily his words," Hood said. "He doesn't say that he's changed because he doesn't feel like he needs to change he feels like you know, he didn't have anything to do with the murders of Angie and Rodney Gilpin."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this piece.