Wendell Grissom executed in Oklahoma for 2005 murder of Amber Matthews

The State of Oklahoma carried out its first execution of 2025, with death row prisoner Wendell Arden Grissom.

Grissom was pronounced dead at 10:13 a.m.

MORE: Oklahoma denies clemency for convicted killer, death row inmate

Grissom has been on death row for nearly 17 years for the random killing of 23-year-old Amber Matthews in Blaine County in 2005. 

Prosecutors of Grissom described this crime as brutal and senseless during a violent home invasion. 

Attorney General Gentner Drummond described this as a “textbook” death penalty case.

Wendell Grissom was found guilty in 2005 and sentenced to death for shooting and killing 23-year-old Amber Matthews and shooting Amber’s friend Dreu Kopf inside Kopf’s home near Watonga. 

The murder was described in the courtroom at trial as both random and brutal.

Prosecutors say Grissom and a hitchhiker targeted the Blaine County home, which they picked at random. 

Prosecutors say Grissom was laughing as he was shooting the women inside the home. 

Kopf was shot several times but was able to escape, but Grissom shot and killed Amber as she was shielding two young kids. 

At Grissom’s clemency hearing, his attorneys didn’t dispute Grissom’s guilt, but said he suffers from brain damage. 

The pardon and parole board voted to deny Grissom clemency.