ROCKVILLE, PENITENTIARY – Rebecca Ann Mercer, 58, was executed by electric chair this morning at Rockville Penitentiary, more than two decades after she was convicted of setting a fatal fire that claimed the lives of her ex-husband and his girlfriend.
The execution was carried out at 7:12 a.m., concluding a lengthy legal odyssey that began with the tragic events of September 14, 2002. Mercer was pronounced dead by physicians following three jolts of electricity, each lasting one minute, administered under the supervision of the state’s execution team.
According to prison officials, Mercer spent the majority of her final night in the company of her spiritual advisor. She reportedly fell asleep around midnight, maintaining a calm demeanor despite the weight of the impending sentence. She was awakened at 5:00 a.m. and served her final meal, which consisted of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, a slice of pecan pie, and a 20-ounce cola. She ate the meal in full, according to witnesses.
At 6:00 a.m., Mercer was moved to the preparation room where she was permitted to shower and dress for the occasion. In accordance with state protocol for the electric chair, her head and left leg were shaved clean to ensure proper application of the electrodes.
Witnesses described the condemned woman as appearing weak but composed as she entered the death chamber at approximately 6:57 a.m. Escorted by the execution team, she was strapped to the seat at the ankles, arms, chest, and abdomen. The warden then read the official death warrant, formalizing the state’s order for her execution.
Allowed a final statement, Mercer looked around the witness room and addressed the families of her victims. "To the families of Mr. Mercer and Ms. Brooks, I'm sorry for what I did and I hope you can move on and heal from this. I'm ready to be with God now," she said.
Following her statement, the execution team applied the head and leg electrodes and placed a rubber hood over her face. At approximately 7:04 a.m., the switch was thrown, sending 2,000 volts through her body. Two additional jolts were applied to ensure the completion of the procedure, and physicians officially pronounced her dead eight minutes later.
A Case That Shocked the Community
Mercer’s conviction stemmed from a vicious act of arson that prosecutors argued was motivated by jealousy and resentment following a contentious divorce. On the evening of September 14, 2002, she drove to the residence of her ex-husband, Daniel Mercer, 46, after a heated argument regarding finances and custody arrangements.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Mercer deliberately poured gasoline around the front porch and entrance of the home, igniting the structure while Mr. Mercer and his girlfriend, 39-year-old Angela
Brooks, were trapped inside. Neighbors reported hearing screams as flames quickly engulfed the residence. Both victims died from smoke inhalation and severe thermal injuries.
Mercer fled the scene but was arrested less than twelve hours later after investigators identified her vehicle through witness statements and surveillance footage. Throughout the trial and subsequent appeals,
Mercer maintained she only intended to scare the victims, a claim the jury rejected during the 2004 proceedings.
Following a three-week trial, the jury found Mercer guilty on two counts of First-Degree Murder and one count of First-Degree Arson. During the penalty phase, jurors recommended the death sentence, citing the "especially cruel" nature of the crime, as the victims were unable to escape the inferno.
A Quiet Existence on Death Row
Since her arrival on Death Row in 2004, Mercer remained a generally compliant inmate. Institutional records show few disciplinary infractions during her more than two decades at Rockville Penitentiary. She spent nearly all of her time in solitary confinement, corresponding with family members, reading, and pursuing a lengthy series of legal appeals that ultimately failed to overturn her sentence.
Her execution marks the first capital punishment carried out in the state this year. All appeals have been exhausted, and the sentence was carried out as ordered by the court.