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forward with his execution. The judges determined that a circuit judge should conduct a competency hearing. During that hearing before Union County
Circuit Judge Kent Smith in February 2021, the court heard testimonies from Cox, his family, friends, and two mental health experts. Two months later, on April 5, 2021, Justice Smith approved Cox's request to waive his remaining rights to appeal, and was satisfied that Cox was mentally competent to reach this decision. The ruling paved way for the state authorities to schedule an execution date for Cox.
458:; two weeks short of his 51st birthday. When asked to make a final statement, he said: "I want my children to know that I love them very much and that I was a good man at one time. Don’t ever read anything but the King James Bible.” Cox thanked the state corrections commissioner, Burl Cain, for being kind to him throughout the years before he finished making the final statement, and a few minutes after the drugs were administered to him, Cox was pronounced dead at 6:12pm.
492:. According to a letter which Cox wrote in October 2021 (a month before he was put to death), Cox admitted to killing Felicia under unspecified circumstances, and he also revealed the location where he buried the body of Felicia by drawing a map. The police concluded that Cox, who had been a long-time suspect behind his sister-in-law's disappearance, was most likely responsible for the crime.
22:
435:
her mother Kim. Benny Kirk, Kim's father, told the press that his son-in-law was "evil" and describing Kim as a "caring mother who was generous toward others", Kirk said he and his wife (Kim's stepmother) never realized the abusive nature of Cox towards his daughter and grandchildren until Cox's true colours were exposed.
192:(January 12, 1970 – May 14, 2010) by shooting her, afterwards raping his stepdaughter in front her. Cox was arrested hours after he killed his wife and held her family members hostage, and he was charged with capital murder, sexual battery and several other offences. Cox pleaded guilty to all eight charges, and
434:
In response to the death warrant of Cox, 23-year-old
Lindsey Kirk, the stepdaughter of Cox, stated that she was not happy upon hearing it but she wanted to attend the execution and wanted Cox to face the consequences, and also recounted the sexual abuse she experienced before and during the murder of
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On
October 22, 2021, the Mississippi Supreme Court issued an official death warrant for Cox, scheduling his death sentence to be carried out on November 17, 2021. Cox was the first condemned person from Mississippi to have his execution date set in nine years after the state's last execution in 2012,
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In a handwritten letter to the judge in July 2018, district attorney and his lawyer, Cox admitted to killing his wife and stated he would do it again if given the opportunity. Later that year, Cox sought permission from the
Mississippi Supreme Court to dismiss his counsel, waive all appeals, and move
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The trial lasted for five days until
September 22, 2012, and the jury unanimously recommended the death penalty for Cox on the most serious charge of capital murder. For the remaining seven charges, Cox received consecutive jail terms of 30 years for each count of kidnapping, 30 years for each count
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Prior to the murder, Cox was a former truck driver who had two sons with Kim, who also had one daughter she bore from a previous relationship. In August 2009, Cox's stepdaughter reported him to the police and stated that Cox was sexually abusive towards her. As a result, Cox was arrested on multiple
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During the situation itself, Cox had shot his wife in the abdomen, and while Kim was mortally wounded and slowly dying from massive blood loss, Cox proceeded to sexually assault his 12-year-old stepdaughter three times in front of his dying wife. Despite attempts from authorities and family members
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After intruding the house of Kim's sister, Cox confronted his wife, her sister and all his two sons and stepdaughter on gunpoint, and even fired his gun in the house. Although Kim's sister and one of Cox's sons managed to escape the house, Cox held his other son, stepdaughter and wife hostage for
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A jury trial commenced on
September 17, 2012, to hear Cox's case. Cox pleaded guilty to murdering his wife Kim Cox and other charges pertaining to the rapes of his stepdaughter and hostage-taking of his wife's family members, leading to his conviction for all the eight charges against him. The
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During the nine months he spent in jail before posting bond, Cox frequently expressed his anger to his cellmates, blaming Kim for his situation and declaring that he would kill her once he was free. Out of fear for her safety, Kim and the children moved in with her sister in the small town of
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of both Cox and Kim for the former to release the latter for medical treatment, Cox refused and proclaimed he wanted to see Kim to slowly die a painful death. The armed hostage-taking incident was diffused after a SWAT team entered the house to apprehend Cox at around 3.23am on May 15, 2010.
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Cox was the first person to be executed in
Mississippi after the state's nine-year moratorium on capital punishment. The last execution took place in 2012 prior to Cox's execution. Cox was the 18th person in the state to be subjected to execution by lethal injection since 2002.
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prosecution announced their intent to seek the death penalty for Cox in relation to the capital murder charge, which also carries a potential life sentence without any chance for parole if the offender was not sentenced to death.
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After his arrest, David Cox was charged with eight counts, consisting of one count of capital murder, two counts of kidnapping, one count of burglary, one count of firing into a dwelling, and three counts of sexual battery.
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On
December 24, 2021, after DNA tests were conducted, the police confirmed that the corpse belonged to Felicia Cox, after the DNA matched to her daughter Amber Miskelly, who was 18 when her mother disappeared.
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participated in the search for
Felicia Cox's remains. On December 13, 2021, the authorities were able to locate a set of human remains at the location where Cox reportedly buried his sister-in-law's body.
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of sexual battery, as well as 25 years for burglary and ten years for discharging a firearm into a dwelling, making it a total of 185 years' imprisonment on top of his death sentence for murdering Kim.
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for murdering his wife in 2012. After he waived his right to appeal, Cox, who confessed to murdering his sister-in-law in 2007 right before his death, was executed via
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Felicia Cox, who was 40 years old at the time of her disappearance, went missing sometime in July 2007. Felicia was last seen alive visiting Cox's wife Kim Cox in
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On May 14, 2010, 39-year-old David Neal Cox Sr. would commit the murder of his wife Kim Kirk Cox, who was 40 years old and separated from him at that time.
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Prior to his execution, David Cox admitted that he was responsible for the alleged murder of his sister-in-law
Felicia Cox (who was his brother's wife).
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for which the pause on executions was due to the difficulty finding the drugs necessary to carry out lethal injection executions.
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The Pontotoc County Sheriff's Department, District Attorney's Office, and experts in Archeology and Anthropology affiliated with
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charges, including statutory rape, sexual battery, child abuse, possession of precursors, and possession of methamphetamine.
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1117:"Mississippi inmate revealed location of sister-in-law's body before he was executed for another murder, officials say"
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665:"Mississippi executes man who pleaded guilty to murder and sexual assault in the state's first execution since 2012"
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and extra ammunition. Cox subsequently drove a van to the house of Kim's sister, where he took his plan to action.
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1059:"Woman's remains found in Mississippi after tip from man who confessed to killing her just before his execution"
465:, Cox ordered a banana pudding, French fries, fried catfish and cornmeal. Reportedly, Cox shared his food with
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562:"A man was executed for killing his wife. Before he died, he confessed to killing his sister-in-law, too"
611:"David Neal Cox, convicted of killing estranged wife, executed in MS. Last words were to his children"
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1155:"Investigators find remains at location mapped out by convicted killer before his execution"
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985:"Mississippi executes man convicted of killing estranged wife, the state's first since 2012"
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893:"Father of Kim Cox, killed by estranged husband David Cox, says execution will give closure"
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1077:"Man recently executed for killing his wife confessed to killing his sister-in-law as well"
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797:"He killed his wife, assaulted his stepdaughter. Mississippi sets November execution date"
1097:"'Death row killer David Cox confesses to second cold case murder just before execution"
1003:"Mississippi man who killed his wife becomes state's first execution in nearly 10 years"
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On February 3, 2015, David Cox's appeal against his death sentence was heard before the
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185 years' imprisonment (kidnapping, discharge of firearms, burglary and sexual battery)
1213:"Remains found after Mississippi inmate's pre-execution tip confirmed as missing woman"
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815:"Mississippi to resume executions after struggling to find lethal drugs for 9 years"
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On November 17, 2021, 50-year-old David Neal Cox Sr. was formally put to death via
967:"David Neal Cox: Bizarre last meal request of death row inmate who killed ex wife"
911:"Gov. Tate Reeves, Mississippi AG will not delay or halt David Neal Cox execution"
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On February 16, 2016, the Mississippi Supreme Court rejected Cox's second appeal.
835:"Mississippi prepares for David Neal Cox's execution, the state's 1st since 2012"
420:. On June 25, 2015, Cox's appeal was dismissed by the Mississippi Supreme Court.
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1175:"Map from executed murderer leads to likely remains of sister-in-law"
544:"Mississippi Killer Confessed to Another Murder Before His Execution"
473:, two other department of corrections officials and three chaplains.
1021:"New law gives MDOC commissioner choice in how people are executed"
1193:"Remains identified after Mississippi man's pre-execution tip"
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873:"'He's evil': Victims' family prepares for killer's execution"
853:"'He's evil': Victims' family prepares for killer's execution"
777:"Prison chief: Mississippi preps for 1st execution since 2012"
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929:"Mississippi executes man who killed wife, terrorized family"
759:"Judge says Mississippi death row inmate may give up appeals"
739:"Judge says Mississippi death row inmate may give up appeals"
1135:"Remains found after pre-execution tip from Mississippi man"
188:(November 30, 1970 – November 17, 2021) murdered his wife
1039:"Man admits to another killing just before execution"
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703:"Mississippi inmate wants death sentence thrown out"
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List of people executed in the United States in 2021
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On the eve of the execution, Mississippi's Governor
721:"Mississippi inmate loses appeal of death sentence"
442:confirmed that he would not grant clemency to Cox.
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1272:People executed by Mississippi by lethal injection
71:2010 case of a man killing his wife in Mississippi
685:"Mississippi executes first prisoner since 2012"
35:for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling
949:"Mississippi executes first inmate since 2012"
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59:Learn how and when to remove this message
162:David Neal Cox Sr. (husband; her killer)
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481:David Cox's confession of second murder
519:List of people executed in Mississippi
467:Mississippi Department of Corrections
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1262:May 2010 crimes in the United States
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1252:Capital punishment in Mississippi
1247:2010 murders in the United States
514:Capital punishment in Mississippi
239:David Cox's trial and sentencing
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204:Background, murder and standoff
1267:People murdered in Mississippi
456:Mississippi State Penitentiary
388:Mississippi State Penitentiary
286:Mississippi State Penitentiary
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184:On May 14, 2010, 39-year-old
497:Mississippi State University
490:Pontotoc County, Mississippi
357:Kim Kirk Cox, 40 (confirmed)
154:Victim of a 2010 murder case
125:Pontotoc County, Mississippi
359:Felicia Cox, 40 (suspected)
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331:Discharge of firearms (x1)
629:"A Good Man, at One Time"
598:Mississippi Supreme Court
418:Mississippi Supreme Court
412:Appeals and death warrant
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378:Union County, Mississippi
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170:Two sons and one daughter
231:more than eight hours.
200:on November 17, 2021.
1257:Female murder victims
1237:Murder in Mississippi
1219:. December 24, 2021.
1201:. December 24, 2021.
1181:. December 14, 2021.
1163:. December 14, 2021.
1143:. December 13, 2021.
1065:. December 13, 2021.
1009:. November 17, 2021.
991:. November 17, 2021.
973:. November 17, 2021.
955:. November 17, 2021.
937:. November 17, 2021.
917:. November 16, 2021.
899:. November 16, 2021.
881:. November 16, 2021.
861:. November 16, 2021.
823:. November 17, 2021.
691:. November 17, 2021.
673:. November 18, 2021.
653:. November 17, 2021.
617:. November 17, 2021.
218:Sherman, Mississippi
1242:2010 in Mississippi
1123:. December 8, 2021.
1105:. December 7, 2021.
1085:. December 7, 2021.
1047:. December 6, 2021.
841:. October 23, 2021.
803:. October 22, 2021.
785:. October 29, 2021.
709:. February 3, 2015.
568:. December 7, 2021.
566:The Washington Post
550:. December 7, 2021.
367:2007 – May 14, 2010
327:Sexual battery (x3)
298:Cause of death
178:Benny Kirk (father)
915:The Clarion Ledger
897:The Clarion Ledger
839:Alabama Local News
801:The Clarion Ledger
615:The Clarion Ledger
548:The New York Times
384:Imprisoned at
247:David Neal Cox Sr.
194:sentenced to death
186:David Neal Cox Sr.
39:You can assist by
1025:Mississippi Today
651:Mississippi Today
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278:November 17, 2021
263:November 30, 1970
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88:Kim Everette Kirk
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1027:. June 21, 2022.
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635:. March 7, 2022.
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190:Kim Kirk Cox
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115:(2010-05-14)
113:May 14, 2010
78:Kim Kirk Cox
55:
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33:copy editing
31:may require
30:
440:Tate Reeves
373:Location(s)
290:Mississippi
267:Mississippi
222:.40 caliber
141:Nationality
102:Mississippi
1231:Categories
971:The Mirror
530:References
463:final meal
259:1970-11-30
94:1970-01-12
41:editing it
989:USA Today
471:Burl Cain
446:Execution
159:Spouse(s)
1217:NBC News
1179:NBC News
1121:NBC News
1063:CBS News
1007:CBS News
953:NBC News
508:See also
461:For his
344:(murder)
167:Children
145:American
354:Victims
349:Details
225:handgun
121:Sherman
292:, U.S.
269:, U.S.
175:Parent
127:, U.S.
104:, U.S.
342:Death
763:WAPT
725:WAPT
707:WAPT
364:Date
323:(x1)
275:Died
253:Born
110:Died
84:Born
1160:CNN
1082:CNN
689:UPI
670:CNN
454:at
1233::
1215:.
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574:^
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