On Nov. 5, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had recommended clemency for Wood, who was scheduled for execution on Nov. 13.
Wood’s brother, Zjaiton Jake Wood, confessed to the murder of Ronnie Wipf, who had been stabbed during an attempted robbery gone wrong in 2001. While Zjaiton was sentenced to life without parole, Tremane Wood was sentenced to the death penalty. The law allows for anyone taking part in a felony crime to be charged with murder if someone dies while that crime is being committed, whether or not they actually committed the murder.
Wood’s supporters argued that he was not properly defended at his trial. Just two years after Wood’s trial, his lawyer’s license was suspended by the Oklahoma Bar Association for drug and alcohol addiction; after receiving treatment for his substance abuse, Wood’s attorney had his license reinstated, and he apologized for providing Wood with poor representation.
The surviving victim of the crime, Arnold Kleinsasser, and the mother of murder victim Ronnie Wipf both opposed Mr. Wood’s execution.
At Wood’s clemency hearing, his attorney, Amanda Bass Castro Alves, said, “The compassion and the mercy that the victims in this case have extended to Tremane, rooted in their life-affirming Christian values and in their recognition that we have all fallen short, is nothing short of transformative. Mrs. Wipf and Arnold [Kleinsasser] are showing Tremane — and in fact, are showing all of us — that even when irreparable harm has been inflicted, there is a path forward beyond vengeance, a path forward that is instead paved by forgiveness, by compassion and by mercy.”
“After a thorough review of the facts and prayerful consideration, I have chosen to accept the Pardon and Parole Board’s recommendation to commute Tremane Wood’s sentence to life without parole,” Gov. Stitt said in a statement released Thursday morning. “This action reflects the same punishment his brother received for their murder of an innocent young man and ensures a severe punishment that keeps a violent offender off the streets forever. In Oklahoma, we will continue to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes, delivering justice, safeguarding our communities, and respecting the rule of law. I pray for the family of Ronnie Wipf and for the surviving victim, Arnie; they are models of Christian forgiveness and love.”
Governor Stitt last granted clemency in 2021, when he reduced Julius Jones’ sentence to life without parole due to concerns about Mr. Jones’ possible innocence.
Castro-Alves applauded Stitt’s decision.
“We are profoundly grateful for the moral courage and leadership Governor Stitt has shown in granting mercy to Tremane,” she said in a statement. “This decision honors the wishes of Mr. Wipf’s family and the surviving victim, and we hope it allows them a measure of peace.”
Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said Stitt’s decision to commute Wood’s sentence “was courageous and correct.”
Attorney General Gentner Drummond had advocated for Wood’s execution to be carried out, claiming that during his incarceration, Wood had engaged in drug distribution and gang violence from behind bars using multiple contraband cell phones.
On Thursday, Drummond expressed his disappointment that Wood’s execution would not be carried out.
“I am disappointed that the governor has granted clemency for this dangerous murderer, but respect that this was his decision to make,” Drummond said. “My office will continue working to ensure that Tremane Wood remains behind bars and that the public is protected from him.”
Oklahoma County Commissioner Jason Lowe issued a statement thanking Stitt for granting clemency to Wood.
“This decision reflects not only the value we place on human life, but also the importance of fairness and consistency in our justice system, especially in a case where a co-defendant received a life sentence and later confessed to the killing,” Lowe said. “I also recognize the pain and loss experienced by the family and loved ones of Ronnie Wipf. Nothing about today’s decision diminishes their grief or the seriousness of this crime. My prayers remain with them as they continue to heal.”
Lowe also thanked the Pardon and Parole Board.
“Their efforts helped ensure that our state took a hard, honest look at the facts before carrying out the most irreversible punishment the law allows,” Lowe said. “Today’s clemency decision is a reminder that justice must always be guided by both accountability and mercy.”
