The Rev. Jeff Hood of Little Rock, Arkansas, has witnessed seven executions, including the nation’s most recent, that of David Hosier in Missouri. Hood helps ‘make them feel like a human being.’
When the Rev. Jeff Hood entered Missouri’s execution chamber this past week, he saw something hauntingly out of the ordinary: himself.
The window to the death chamber is one-way, meaning witnesses can see inmates but inmates cannot see who is watching them, Hood told USA TODAY, adding that every other execution he’s witnessed in other states has been in a room with a two-way window.
“It’s like a house of horrors,” Hood said. “It’s very, very bizarre.”
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Hood walked in to find his friend, David Hosier − a man condemned to die for the 2009 murder of a former lover − strapped to the gurney. Hosier’s final words to the reverend before Missouri executed him: “Give ’em hell, Jeff.” Encouragement for Hood to keep fighting against the ultimate punishment.
As Hood put his hand on Hosier’s shoulder and began to read scripture, the intravenous line to deliver the lethal injection was near Hood’s elbow. Soon the reverend was able to see the pentobarbital − or as he calls it, “poison” − travel to end Hosier’s life.
When time of death was pronounced at 6:11 p.m. on Tuesday, Hosier became the seventh man Hood has seen executed.
Hood says witnessing executions makes him feel ‘like a murderer’
In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that spiritual advisers must be allowed into execution chambers if death row inmates want them. Since then, the 40-year-old Hood − who lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with his wife and five children − has made it one of his missions to comfort the condemned in their final weeks, hours and minutes.
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“My job is to come into their lives when they have six to three months left to live and become their best friend,” Hood told USA TODAY in an interview shortly after Hosier’s execution. “I become their best friend in order to be their best friend when they die.”
After seven executions, Hood said it doesn’t get any easier. If anything, it’s gotten harder.
“You feel like a murderer,” he said. “I’m called to be there for my guy. I’m called to pray. I’m called to read scripture. For all of my good intentions, I ultimately do nothing to stop it … I sit there and watch someone I love be murdered. In my inaction, I join the team of murderers.
“Being a part of the entire process is moral torture,” he added.
But Hood feels compelled to continue the work. Three inmates have asked him to accompany them to their executions in the next six months, and he works with about two dozen others throughout the country. This despite what he says have been numerous death threats against him and his family.
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Why?
“Giving someone a voice, that’s the only thing that can make them feel like a human being,” he said.
Hood witnessed world’s first nitrogen gas execution
While Hood says every execution he’s witnessed is disturbing, he’s particularly haunted by that of Kenneth Eugene Smith, who was put to death by nitrogen gas in Alabama in January for his role in a murder-for-hire plot of a preacher’s wife in 1988.
“He literally was heaving back and forth, his face was hitting the front of the mask,” Hood says. “Mucus and slobber were drizzling down the front of the inside of the mask … It was like his veins all over his body were spidering and that there were ants up on his skin that were moving in every single direction.”
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Marty Roney, a reporter with the Montgomery Advertiser − part of the USA TODAY Network − was also among witnesses and reported that Smith “appeared to convulse and shake vigorously for about four minutes after the nitrogen gas apparently began flowing through his full-face mask,” and that “it was another two to three minutes before he appeared to lose consciousness, all while gasping for air to the extent that the gurney shook several times.”
By appearances, lethal injections almost look like medical procedures, Hood said, while the nitrogen gas method “looks like a very vicious, horrible murder.”
Among Smith’s last words before he suffocated: “Tonight, Alabama caused humanity to take a step backward.”
In a statement following Smith’s execution, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall noted that it “marked the first time in the nation – and the world – that nitrogen hypoxia was used as the method of execution.”
The state “has achieved something historic,” he added. Alabama is set to execute another inmate, Alan Eugene Miller, with nitrogen gas in September. Miller, who was convicted of killing three people during two workplace shootings in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1999, is arguing against the method in a lawsuit, saying it’s cruel and unusual punishment.
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Hood focuses on love at most recent execution
At the most recent execution Hood attended, that of David Hosier on June 11, he said he read from the Bible as he held the inmate’s shoulder.
As we was reading, Hood says Hosier repeated the phrase, “Give ’em hell,” an apparent reference to Hood’s hope to see the death penalty abolished.
Hosier was convicted in the 2009 shooting death of his former lover, Angela Gilpin, a married mother of two sons. Gilpin was seeing Hosier while she was separated from her husband but had decided to make her marriage work and broke it off with Hosier, who always maintained his innocence.
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Hood said that Hosier was 100% convinced of his innocence and that he wasn’t just “putting on a show.” Hood gave Hosier absolution for his sins and did not confess to the crime in his final moments.
While Hood says he was being tortured by his own emotions during the process, his focus was on ensuring Hosier felt love and felt like a human being.
“I think that in the last few weeks, David got a lot of his dignity back,” Hood said.
“I’m the luckiest man on Earth,” Hosier said in a final statement sent to reporters shortly before he was put to death. “I’ve been able to speak the the truth of my innocence … I leave you all with love.”
Contributing: Marty Roney of the Montgomery Advertiser
The Little Rock Marathon welcomes runners of all experience levels to run its course each year.
That was best exemplified when its winners crossed the finish line.
The marathon featured 1,427 entrants, ages 16 to 80, with race veterans and first-timers of all ages competing Sunday morning.
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This was the 10th marathon for Benjamin Williams, a 42-year-old Baltimore resident originally from Australia. He hadn’t won prior Sunday but finished second in a marathon in Memphis in 2025 and was determined to finally get over the hump in Little Rock.
“It’s amazing,” Williams said. “I mean, it’s such a beautiful course, and it’s my first time in Arkansas. I love the city, and I’m just so excited to do it.
“I was desperate to win this one. I went to the front in the first mile, and then I ran on my own basically the whole way.”
Williams held an advantage of nearly a minute on the next-closet runner through the first 7 1/2 miles. By the time he hit the half marathon point, 13.1 miles, his lead was just shy of four minutes thanks to a 5:41 pace.
Williams won the marathon with a chip time of 2:32:07. Tyreek Gilkey, 22, of Fort Smith came second with a 2:39:02 chip time. Alec Hewett, 33, of Colorado Springs, Colo., finished third with a chip time of 2:39:50.
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“Little Rock is beautiful,” Williams said. “You know, I was focused on the race, but I’ve been able to see it the last few days, just walking around this beautiful city. The course is actually really hard. There’s a hill as you go up to Hillcrest, that neighborhood. That was a long, brutal hill. And then they get you with a little one just here at the end as well. So, yeah, it was a good course, but tough.”
Williams made sure to mention just how far he’s come in his marathon running career after winning his first.
“This is my 10th,” Williams said. “So hopefully it’s by some other people. My first one took me four hours, and I’ve just slowly brought it down.”
Williams also won the 5K on Saturday with a chip time of 16:22.7.
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As for the women’s race, it was first-timer Holly Moser, 25, who claimed first place. The Greeley, Colo., native who recently moved to Jacksonville finished seventh overall and first among female runners with a time of 2:53:23. She was second or third at each of the first five checkpoints before her 6:36 pace from Mile 21 to Mile 23 pushed her into first.
Moser, like most runners that compete in the Little Rock Marathon, highlighted the hills in the western portion of the course, particularly in the Hillcrest neighborhood, as a challenge.
“You guys managed to find every single hill that exists in the city somehow,” Moser said with a laugh. “I’m not sure how you did it, but you did. The energy was there, so it’s easy to get up those hills. And it was fun to kind of sightsee Little Rock. I still haven’t been to a lot of the neighborhood areas since we live in Jacksonville, so it was nice to get to see like a new area that I haven’t gotten to see before.”
Like Williams, Moser also ran the 5K the day before running the marathon. She finished seventh overall and third among women in that with a time of 19:49.4.
Leah Thorvilson, 47, of Bella Vista finished second among women with a chip time of 2:54:49. Erin Bellissimo, 41, of Monument, Colo., finished third with a 3:02:05 chip time.
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One other finish of note was Aaron McCaleb, who was the first marathon athlete overall to finish with a time of 1:59:48. Competing in the hand cycle division, McCaleb, 22, finished nearly 45 minutes before the nearest cyclist.
Temperatures remained favorable and fan support turnout was strong Sunday, giving competitors like Moser the boost they needed.
“The weather was perfect for the first like two hours, and then that sun came out and it got a little warm, but the support was unmatched,” Moser said. “I mean, every single booth that you passed, the vibes were high. Everyone was cheering. People were screaming your name. It’s easy to run fast when you got that many fans.”
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge as the sun rises over the Arkansas River during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
A group of spectators watch runners cross the Broadway Bridge during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
A runner heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Holly Moser heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Moser would go on to win the women’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Benjamin Williams heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Williams would go on to win the men’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Benjamin Williams heads toward the finish line on the final stretch of the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Williams would go on to win the men’s race. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Runners cross the Broadway Bridge into North Little Rock during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Competitors run past the Arkansas state Capitol during the Little Rock Marathon on Sunday, March 1, 2026. See more photos at arkansasonline.com/32runners/ (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Colin Murphey)
Katie Bowser stops to give her husband Larry Bowser a kiss before turning onto Tenth Street from Main Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Katie was running the full marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Marion Milwee, 16, (from left) Jennifer Milwee and Shannon Butler Dixon cheer as Virginia Milwee, their sister, daughter and niece respectively turns on to Commerce Street from Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Melinda Asewicz holds up her glass in salute as runners move west on Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner gets a drink from Andrea Rothman as he moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner moves east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners move east along Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Holly Moser, 25, of Jacksonville, crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Moser won the women’s race with a time of 2:53:23 the finish line https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Holly Moser, 25, of Jacksonville, runs to the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Moser won the women’s race with a time of 2:53:23 the finish line https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of Baltimore runs on Ninth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Benjamin Williams of Baltimore runs on Fourth Street during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock.Williams won the men’s race with a time 2:32:07. https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Anne Henry Milner stretches out on the floor of the Statehouse Convention Center after completing the half marathon portion of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners cross the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
A runner crosses the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners cross the finish line during the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Runners take to the course at the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
Sam (left) and Elliot Driver talk before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Elliot was running in the half marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Maly Tabor (left) and Mary Kate Reid stretch before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. Both women were running in the half marathon. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
A group of runners walk down Main Street on their way to the Statehouse Convention Center for the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Volunteers gather outside of the Statehouse Convention Center before the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
A runner walks towards the starting line of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0302Runners/….(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)..
Runners take to the course at the start of the 2026 Little Rock Marathon Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Little Rock. See more photos at https://www.arkansasonline.com/0301Runners/..(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Adam Vogler)
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It was a tight battle all the way through, but ultimately No. 7 Missouri took down No. 8 Arkansas in Sunday’s SEC dual, 197.425-197.225.
There was plenty for the Gymbacks to be proud of in the meet, starting with the all-around performance of freshman Allison Cucci. She earned a new career high of 39.500, good for the all-around crown and the highest of any freshman in the nation this season. Cucci also tied for first on vault (9.900) and got second on beam (9.925).
Redshirt junior had a fantastic outing as a floor specialist and scored a 9.900 on vault and 9.925 on floor. Both marks were good for a share of first place on the events. Senior Morgan Price earned a big 9.925 at bars anchor, which tied for first on the event.
The last two events of the day kept Arkansas in contention with Mizzou, as the Gymbacks went 49.425 on both floor and beam, the latter a season high.
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Bars
After a 9.675 from Joscelyn Roberson in the lead-off spot, Hailey Klein got the Gymbacks on pace again with a 9.875. Avery King made her collegiate debut next and delivered a great 9.825 routine in a last-minute situation. Her fellow freshmen Avalon Campbell and Allison Cucci went next and scored a 9.750 and 9.800, respectively. Morgan Price anchored with the energy Arkansas needed and capped her routine with a stick to score 9.925. Arkansas finished the bars rotation with a 49.175.
Vault
Cami Weaver and Leah Smith opened the vault rotation with Yurchenko fulls, scoring 9.800 and 9.750. Cucci and Klein were the team’s first 1.5s of the day, and the two scored 9.875 and 9.800, respectively. Lauren Williams went 9.875 in the fifth position and Morgan Price earned a 9.850. The Gymbacks scored 49.200 total on vault.
Floor
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Arkansas started out floor with a 9.825 from Hailey Klein and a 9.850 from Cami Weaver. Cucci then broke into the 9.900 range with a new career high 9.900 midway through the rotation. Smith went 9.850 in the fourth position, keeping Arkansas on pace. Williams and Roberson closed the rotation strong with scores of 9.925 and 9.900, which pushed the Gymbacks’ floor total to 49.425.
Beam
Madison Gustitus began the beam rotation with a 9.775, and Priscilla Park went 9.875 next for the Gymbacks. Klein concluded her all-around day with a 9.850 on beam midway through the final rotation. Cucci came up next and got a huge 9.925, a new personal best for her. Weaver followed with a 9.875, which brought Roberson up to anchor. She did her usual and scored a 9.900, and Arkansas closed the meet with a 49.425 event score on beam, a new season high.
Up Next
Arkansas returns to Bud Walton Arena for its home finale against No. 1 Oklahoma on Friday, March 6. The meet has been deemed a White Out, and the team is pushing fans to help break the NCAA gymnastics attendance record, which is currently just over 16,000. It will also be Senior Night, honoring a fantastic class of Razorbacks. Action is set for 7:15 p.m. and tickets are available online, by phone, or in person. The meet will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
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More Information
Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas Gymnastics. You can also find the Razorbacks on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Gymnastics) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackGym).
Wally Hall is assistant managing sports editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A graduate of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, he is a member and past president of the Football Writers Association of America, member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, past president and current executive committee and board member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and voter for the Heisman Trophy. He has been awarded Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year 10 times and has been inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame.
