List of people executed in Arizona (pre-1972)

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The following is a list of people executed in the U.S. state of Arizona before 1972, when capital punishment was briefly abolished by the Supreme Court's ruling in Furman v. Georgia . For people executed after the restoration of capital punishment by the Supreme Court's ruling in Gregg v. Georgia (1976), see List of people executed in Arizona. [1] [2]

Contents

Background

Historically, all executions in Arizona were carried out locally by hanging. In January 1910, an official execution chamber was completed at the then-territorial prison in Florence, which later become the state prison in 1912. Capital punishment was briefly abolished in the state between December 8, 1916, to December 5, 1918. Hanging was later replaced by gas asphyxiation on October 28, 1933. [2]

List of executions

NameRaceAgeSexDate of executionCountyCrimeVictim(s)Governor
Jose LopezHispanic19MJanuary 5, 1910 Pinal MurderMaria Espinosa, Hispanic [3] Richard Elihu Sloan [a]
Cesario SanchezHispanic42MDecember 2, 1910 Coconino MurderGregoria Conejo, Hispanic [4]
Rafael BarelaHispanic30M
Domingo FrancoHispanic44MJuly 7, 1911 Santa Cruz MurderMr. Amada, Hispanic [5]
Alejandro GallesHispanic35MJuly 28, 1911 Yavapai MurderLouis D. Yeager, white [6]
Ramon VillaloboHispanic28MDecember 10, 1915 Pinal MurderPhineas Brown, white (Ray deputy sheriff) [7] George W. P. Hunt
Francisco RodriguezHispanic29MMay 19, 1916 Maricopa MurderFemale, Hispanic (wife) [8]
N. B. ChavezHispanic35MJune 9, 1916 Yavapai MurderCharles E. King, white (Jerome deputy sheriff) [9]
Miguel PeraltaHispanic39MJuly 7, 1916 Yavapai Murder
Simplicio TorrezHispanic24MApril 16, 1920 Coconino MurderVictor H. Mellick, white (Williams town constable) [10] Thomas Edward Campbell
Pedro DominguezHispanic27MJanuary 14, 1921 Greenlee MurderAntonio Menchera, Hispanic [11]
Nichan MartinWhite24MSeptember 9, 1921 Yavapai MurderArthur de Steunder, 21, white [12]
Ricardo LauterioHispanic23MJanuary 13, 1922 Maricopa MurderAdelina Sosa de Barillos, Hispanic (common-law wife) [13]
Thomas RomanHispanic32MMurder-RobberyThomas Hintze and Spangler (deputy constable), 10 (Hintze), white [14]
Theodore WestWhite35MSeptember 29, 1922 Mohave MurderLem Smith, white [15] [b]
Paul V. HadleyWhite35MApril 23, 1923 Pima Murder-RobberyAnna C. Johnson, white [16] George W. P. Hunt
Manuel MartinezHispanic28MAugust 10, 1923 Santa Cruz Murder-RobberyJ. Frank Pearson, white (Ruby postmaster) [17]
William B. WardBlack38MJune 20, 1924 Pinal MurderTed Grosh, white [18]
Sam FlowersBlack36MJanuary 9, 1925 Maricopa MurderSabina Flowers, black (wife) [19]
William LawrenceWhite26MJanuary 8, 1926 Maricopa MurderHaze Burch, white (Phoenix policeman) [20]
Charles J. BlackburnWhite35MMay 20, 1927 Graham MurderMiguel Bernal, 31, Hispanic [21]
B. W. L. SamAsian27MJune 22, 1928 Mohave MurderTom King, Asian [22]
Shew ChinAsian23M
Jew HarAsian30M
Gee King LongAsian30M
Eva Dugan White49FFebruary 21, 1930 Pima Murder-Robbery Andrew J. Mathis, 60, white [23] [c]
Refugio MaciasHispanic42MMarch 7, 1930 Greenlee MurderPedro Ornelas, Hispanic [24] [d]
Herman YoungWhite26MAugust 21, 1931 Pima Murder-RobberyJohn Dye, white [25]
Fred HernandezHispanic19MJuly 6, 1934 Pinal Murder-RobberyCharles P. Washburn, 65, white [26] Benjamin Baker Moeur
Manuel HernandezHispanic18M
George ShaughnessyWhite19MJuly 13, 1934 Santa Cruz Murder-RobberyLon Blankenship, white [27]
Louis Sprague DouglasWhite46MAugust 31, 1934 Yuma Murder-RobberyJohn Hayden and Ralph Hart, both 63, white [28]
Jack SullivanWhite23MMay 15, 1936 Cochise MurderJohn B. Bradberry, white (railroad policeman) [29]
Frank RasconHispanic [30] 26MJuly 10, 1936 Maricopa MurderJoe Romero, Hispanic [31]
Roland H. CochraneWhite28MOctober 2, 1936 Maricopa Murder-RobberyRichard Giles, white [32]
Frank DuarteWhite22MJanuary 8, 1937 Pinal Murder-RobberyG. W. Johnson, white [33] Rawghlie Clement Stanford
Ernest PattenBlack37MAugust 13, 1937 Apache MurderFemale, black (common-law wife) [34]
Burt AndersonWhite54M Yavapai MurderCecil Kuykendall, 28, white [35]
David Benjamin KnightWhite31MSeptember 3, 1937 Maricopa MurderJ. C. Kalb, white [36]
Elvin Jack OdomWhite27MJanuary 14, 1938 Maricopa Murder-RobberyCharles Goade, white [37]
Archie ShortWhite26MApril 28, 1939 Pinal MurderJack Hickox, white (Ray deputy sheriff) [38] Robert Taylor Jones
Frank ConnerBlack22MSeptember 22, 1939 Santa Cruz Murder-RobberyTracy Bird, white [39]
Robert BurgunderWhite22MAugust 9, 1940 Maricopa Murder-RobberyE. B. Peterson, white [40] [e]
Grady B. ColeBlack28MJanuary 8, 1943 Cochise MurderCoy C. Qualls, white [41] Sidney Preston Osborn
Charles SandersBlack20M
J. C. LeviceBlack21M
James C. RawlingsWhite46MFebruary 19, 1943 Greenlee Murder-RapeMarilyn Emma Atkins, 11, white [42]
Elisandro MaciasHispanic20MApril 27, 1943 Pima Murder-RobberyAldo Hage, 60, white [43] [44]
John Earnest RansomBlack47MJanuary 5, 1945 Maricopa MurderCharles H. Payne, 51, white [45]
Lee Albert SmithWhite63MApril 6, 1945 Cochise MurderEdward D. Miller, white [46]
U. L. HolleyBlack38MApril 13, 1945 Gila MurderMorgan Neilson and Ed Williams, 50 (Neilson), white [47]
Angel B. SernaHispanic25MJuly 29, 1950 Pinal MurderCatharine Gohn, white [48] Dan Edward Garvey
Harold Thomas LantzWhite28MJuly 18, 1951 Cochise MurderAda C. Park, 68, white [49] John Howard Pyle
Carl J. FolkWhite55MMarch 4, 1955 Navajo Murder-RapeBetty Allen, white [50] Ernest McFarland
Lester Edward BartholomewWhite28MAugust 31, 1955 Maricopa MurderPamela and Richard Bartholomew, 2 and 3, white (children) [51] [52] [f]
Leonard CoeyWhite56MMay 22, 1957 Maricopa MurderElnora Coey, white (wife) [53]
Arthur ThomasBlack27MNovember 17, 1958 Cochise MurderJanie Miskovich, white [54]
Richard Lewis JordenWhite26MNovember 22, 1958 Pima Murder-RapePhyllis Mae Thompson, 22, white [55]
Lonnie CraftBlack40MMarch 7, 1959 Maricopa MurderVirginia Craft, black (wife) [56] Paul Fannin
Robert D. FentonWhite24MMarch 11, 1960 Pima MurderOpal Keller Coward, 53, white [57]
Honor RobinsonBlack42MOctober 31, 1961 Maricopa MurderWilliam Bischoff, black [58]
Patrick M. McGeeWhite52MMarch 8, 1963 Coconino Murder-RobberyAry J. Best, 66, white [59]
Manuel E. SilvaHispanic42MMarch 14, 1963 Pinal MurderBeatriz Mankel, white (lover) [60] [61]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Territory of Arizona before statehood.
  2. ↑ Previously murdered a man at a California mental institution with another inmate named Peoples; both were sentenced to life imprisonment but their convictions were later reversed on appeal.
  3. ↑ Previously suspected of committing two other murders in Missouri and Nevada, but never charged as no bodies were found.
  4. ↑ Also killed Julian DeLuna during the same crime.
  5. ↑ Also killed Ellis M. Koury during the same crime.
  6. ↑ Also killed his wife Marie during the same crime.

References

  1. ↑ "Executions in Arizona - 1865-1963 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
  2. 1 2 Senate, United States Congress (1968). Hearings. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  3. ↑ Jose Lopez, AZ, 1910 January 5, Espy Archive
  4. ↑ Cesario Sanchez, AZ, 1910 December 2, Espy Archive
  5. ↑ Domingo Franco, AZ, 1911 July 7, Espy Archive
  6. ↑ Alejandro Galles, AZ, 1911 July 28, Espy Archive
  7. ↑ Ramon Villalobo, AZ, 1915 December 10, Espy Archive
  8. ↑ "Mexican, Saved From Death Nine Times, Is Executed For Killing Wife Five Years Ago". Prescott Journal Miner . May 20, 1916. p. 1. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  9. ↑ N. B. Chavez, AZ, 1916 June 9, Espy Archive
  10. ↑ Simplicio Torrez, AZ, 1920 April 16, Espy Archive
  11. ↑ Pedro Dominguez, 1921 January 14, Espy Archive
  12. ↑ Nichan Martin, 1921 September 9, Espy Archive
  13. ↑ Ricardo Lauterio, AZ, 1922 January 13, Espy Archive
  14. ↑ Thomas Roman, AZ, 1922 January 13, Espy Archive
  15. ↑ Theodore West, 1922 September 29, Espy Archive
  16. ↑ Paul Hadley, 1923 April 13, Espy Archive
  17. ↑ "Pays Penalty For Arizona Killing". The Evening Independent . August 10, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Negro Hanged In Arizona". St. Joseph News-Press . June 20, 1924. p. 10. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  19. ↑ Sam Flowers, AZ, 1925 January 9, Espy Archive
  20. ↑ "Lawrence Dies With Nerve As Firm As Steel". Prescott Evening Courier . January 8, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  21. ↑ Charles Blackburn, 1927 May 20, Espy Archive
  22. ↑ King Long Gee, Har Jew, Chin Shew, B. W. Sam, 1928 June 22, Espy Archive
  23. ↑ Eva Dugan, 1930 February 21, Espy Archive
  24. ↑ Refugio Macias, 1930 March 7, Espy Archive
  25. ↑ Herman Young, AZ, 1931 August 21, Espy Archive
  26. ↑ Fred Hernandez, Manuel Hernandez, 1934 July 6, Espy Archive
  27. ↑ "Gas Ends Life Of Bad Lad who Beat Jail Term". The Newburgh News . July 12, 1934. p. 12. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  28. ↑ Louis Douglas, 1934 August 31, Espy Archive
  29. ↑ Jack Sullivan, 1936 May 15, Espy Archive
  30. ↑ "Kisses Husband, Inhales Fumes". Waycross Journal-Herald . July 11, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  31. ↑ "Cowboy Murderer Dies in Gas Chamber". The Telegraph-Herald . July 10, 1936. p. 3. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Former U.S. Hero Gassed for Crime". The Telegraph-Herald . October 2, 1936. p. 9. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  33. ↑ Frank Duarte, AZ, 1937 January 8, Espy Archive
  34. ↑ Ernest Patten, AZ, 1937 August 13, Espy Archive
  35. ↑ "Gas Executions Take 3 On Friday The 13th". The Portsmouth Times . August 13, 1937. p. 13. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Expiates Friend's Slaying". The Spokesman-Review . September 4, 1937. p. 18. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  37. ↑ Elvin Odom, 1938 January 14, Espy Archive
  38. ↑ "Short Comes Out Of 'Coma'". Prescott Evening Courier . April 27, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  39. ↑ "Pays With Life". Spokane Daily Chronicle . September 22, 1939. p. 17. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  40. ↑ "Penalty Paid By Burgunder". Prescott Evening Courier . August 9, 1940. pp. 1–8. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  41. ↑ Charles Sanders, AZ, 1943 January 8, Espy Archive
  42. ↑ James Rawlings, 1943 February 19, Espy Archive
  43. ↑ Elisandro Macias, AZ, 1943 April 27, Espy Archive
  44. ↑ "Alleged Slayer Is Held Without Bond". Prescott Evening Courier . June 7, 1941. p. 1. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  45. ↑ John Ransom, AZ, 1945 January 5, Espy Archive
  46. ↑ Lee Smith, 1945 April 6, Espy Archive
  47. ↑ U. L. Holley, AZ, 1945 April 13, Espy Archive
  48. ↑ Angel Serna, AZ, 1950 July 29, Espy Archive
  49. ↑ Harold Lantz, AZ, 1951 July 18, Espy Archive
  50. ↑ Carl Folk, 1955 March 4, Espy Archive
  51. ↑ "Man Executed For Slaying Wife, Tots". Rome News-Tribune . August 31, 1955. p. 8. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  52. ↑ "Family Slayer Executed by Gas In Arizona Prison". The Telegraph-Herald . August 31, 1955. p. 8. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  53. ↑ "Wife Slayer Is Executed in Arizona". St. Joseph News-Press . May 22, 1957. p. 5. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  54. ↑ "Gas Chamber Death Ends Five Year Fight". The Evening Independent . November 17, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  55. ↑ Richard Jordan, 1958 November 22, Espy Archive
  56. ↑ Lonnie Craft, AZ, 1959 March 7, Espy Archive
  57. ↑ "Tucson Slayer Dies in Gas Chamber". Prescott Evening Courier . March 11, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  58. ↑ "Robinson Executed". Prescott Evening Courier . October 31, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  59. ↑ Patrick McGee, 1963 March 8, Espy Archive
  60. ↑ Manuel Silva, AZ, 1963 March 14, Espy Archive
  61. ↑ "Convicted Murderer Executed". Prescott Evening Courier . March 14, 1963. p. 5. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
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