Jacob and Matilda Nestor — ages 67 and 66, respectively — were killed in 1990, according to court files. This year’s tally of executions — 34 — is the highest the United States has seen since 2014, when 35 people were executed. Twenty-three states have abolished capital punishment outright. One striking piece of context: in Washington, D.C., and much of Western Europe, capital punishment is a historical relic. Voices on both sidesSupporters of capital punishment often point to a desire for justice and closure.