Oklahoma City, Okla. — The U.S. government has announced plans to pursue the death penalty against an inmate at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma, who faces charges of murdering one cellmate and attempting to kill another. This significant legal move marks a continuation of heightened federal execution efforts since last year.
Jasper Reed, 27, has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, following indictments from a federal grand jury. According to court documents, Reed allegedly took the life of Rene Perez, a 52-year-old inmate serving time for a supervised release violation. Perez was found unresponsive in his cell on May 8, 2024, prompting an investigation that revealed he had been manually strangled.
An autopsy determined that Perez’s death resulted from asphyxiation, which left him with severe internal injuries, including fractured bones in the throat and substantial hemorrhaging. Prosecutors stated that Reed’s violent behavior extended beyond this incident; he is also charged in connection with an attack on another inmate that took place shortly before Perez’s murder.
The earlier attack occurred on April 27, when officers reportedly discovered Reed strangling his cellmate. Despite efforts to subdue him using pepper spray, multiple corrections staff eventually had to intervene. The victim from that incident sustained severe injuries requiring hospitalization.
Reed entered the federal prison system in late 2023 after being sentenced for firearms-related offenses. Following the recent charges, Attorney General Pam Bondi has authorized U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, Robert Troester, to seek capital punishment for Reed. A formal notice of intent to pursue the death penalty has been filed on behalf of the government.
Historically, federal executions are uncommon, with only 50 carried out since 1927. Of those, 16 have occurred since the federal death penalty was reinstated in 1988, including a significant number during the final months of the former administration. The last federal execution took place in January 2021, just days before the transfer of power to the current administration.
In contrast, a moratorium on federal executions was introduced in July 2021, demonstrating a shift in approach to capital punishment. This recent announcement aligns with broader discussions within the administration regarding severe criminal offenses, particularly actions leading to loss of life.
While the pursuit of the death penalty against Reed’s case advances, it underscores debates surrounding capital punishment in the U.S. Currently, three inmates remain on federal death row, a significant decrease from prior years, following clemency actions taken at the end of the last administration.
The situation continues to unfold, and legal proceedings will shed further light on Reed’s conduct and the government’s stance on capital punishment in such extreme cases.