James Pavatt Execution Set for November 12 in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sets November Execution Date for Death Row Inmate James Pavatt

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has scheduled the execution of James D. Pavatt for November 12, 2026, more than two decades after he was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Oklahoma City advertising executive Robert “Rob” Andrew.

Pavatt, 72, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Pavatt continues to maintain his innocence, and his attorneys have argued that unresolved questions remain in the case. Barring a stay or other court action, Pavatt is expected to become the fourth person executed in Oklahoma in 2026.

James Pavatt Execution Set for November 12 in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals set Pavatt’s execution date Thursday, establishing November 12 as the date his death sentence will be carried out if no court or executive action intervenes.

Pavatt is among the inmates currently listed by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections as sentenced to death. Oklahoma carries out executions at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, the maximum-security prison in McAlester.

Oklahoma adopted lethal injection as its execution method in 1977. According to ODOC, the state carried out 213 executions between 1915 and 2025, including 130 by lethal injection.

Pavatt has denied killing Andrew. Following the announcement of the execution date, one of his attorneys said there are still material questions surrounding the case that should be resolved before an execution occurs.

Pavatt Convicted in 2001 Murder of Robert Andrew

Pavatt was sentenced to death for the November 2001 murder of Robert Andrew, a 39-year-old advertising executive who was shot in the garage of his Oklahoma City home.

Prosecutors said Andrew was killed when he arrived at the home to pick up his two children for the Thanksgiving holiday.

At the time, Andrew and his wife, Brenda Andrew, were going through a divorce. Prosecutors said Brenda Andrew and Pavatt were having an affair and alleged the two conspired to kill Robert Andrew.

The state argued an $800,000 life insurance policy was part of the motive behind the killing. Pavatt had worked as an insurance agent and had become acquainted with the Andrew family through Sunday school.

Following the murder, prosecutors said Pavatt and Brenda Andrew fled to Mexico with the Andrew children before they were eventually apprehended.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals previously detailed the evidence, procedural history and claims raised in Pavatt’s death penalty case.

Brenda Andrew was tried separately, convicted of murder and also sentenced to death. She remains on Oklahoma’s death row and is currently incarcerated at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in McLoud.

Clemency Process Comes Before James Pavatt Execution

Before the scheduled James Pavatt execution, his case can proceed through Oklahoma’s clemency process in addition to any remaining court challenges.

A clemency hearing before the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is scheduled for 9 a.m. October 14, according to the latest published scheduling information.

The board can consider information from Pavatt’s attorneys, prosecutors, victims’ representatives and others before deciding whether to recommend clemency to the governor.

Information about Oklahoma’s clemency process and upcoming proceedings is available through the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board.

Pavatt’s attorneys can also continue pursuing legal challenges that could result in a stay or other change to the scheduled execution.

If the November 12 execution proceeds, Pavatt is expected to be the fourth and final person executed by Oklahoma in 2026.

The execution date comes nearly 25 years after Robert Andrew was killed and more than two decades after Pavatt was convicted and sentenced to death. Unless the courts intervene or clemency is granted, the sentence will be carried out at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

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