List of people executed in Connecticut

This is a list of people executed in Connecticut, prior to the abolition of capital punishment in the state on April 25, 2012. ^[1]

List

Name	Age	Race	Sex	Occupation	Crime	Date	Method	County	Notes
Nepauduck	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder	January 30, 1639	Beheading	New Haven
Spencer, George	—	White	Male	Servant	Sodomy	April 1, 1642	Hanging	New Haven	Note 5
Plaine, William	56	White	Male		Sodomy	1646	Hanging	New Haven	Note 4
Young, Alse	31-32	White	Female	—	Witchcraft	May 26, 1647	Hanging	Hartford
Johnson, Mary	—	White	Female	Servant	Witchcraft	1649	Hanging	—
Carrington, Sr, John	37	White	Male	Carpenter	Witchcraft	March 1651	Hanging	Hartford
Carrington, Joan	—	White	Female	Housewife	Witchcraft	March 1651	Hanging	Hartford
Bassett (Holland), Margery "Goody"	—	White	Female	Housewife	Witchcraft	1651	Hanging	Fairfield
Knapp, Elizabeth	—	White	Female	Housewife	Witchcraft	1653	Hanging	Fairfield
Gilbert, Lydia		White	Female		Murder (by Witchcraft)	December 15, 1654	Hanging
Walter Robinson	15	White	Male	—	Sodomy	March 1655	Hanging	New Haven
John Knight	—	White	Male	—	Sodomy	June 1655	Hanging	New Haven
Greensmith, Nathaniel	—	White	Male	—	Witchcraft	January 1663	Hanging	Hartford	Note 1
Greensmith, Rebecca	—	White	Female	Housewife	Witchcraft
Barnes, Mary	36	White	Female	Housewife	Witchcraft (exonerated 2023) [2]	February 24, 1663	Hanging	Hartford
Potter, William	—	White	Male	—	Sodomy	June 6, 1662	Hanging	New Haven
Briggs, Ruth		White	Female		Murder	June 1668	Hanging	Hartford
Rood, Thomas	46	White	Male		Incest [a]	October 18, 1672	Hanging	New London
—	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder	1700	Hanging	New Haven	Note 2
—	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder
—	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder
Thomas, Abigail		White	Female		Murder	May 27, 1708	Hanging	Hartford
Waisoiusksquaw		Native American	Female		Murder	May 15, 1711	Hanging
Garrett, Catherine	27	Native American	Female	Servant	Murder	May 3, 1738	Hanging	New London
Jack		Black			Rape	November 16, 1743	Hanging	Hartford
Kate		Black			Murder
Shaw, Elizabeth		White			Murder	December 18, 1745	Hanging	Windham
Cuff		Black		Slave	Rape	May 15, 1749	Hanging	New Haven
Bramble, Sarah	—	White	Female	—	Murder	November 21, 1753	Hanging	New London
Frazier, Isaac	—	—	Male	—	Burglary	September 1768	Hanging	New Haven
Jacobs, John	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder	November 2, 1768	Hanging	Litchfield
Paul, Moses	—	Native American	Male	Drifter	Murder	September 2, 1772	Hanging	New Haven
Dunbar, Moses	30	White	Male	Farmer	Treason	March 19, 1777	Hanging	Hartford
Griswold	—	White	Male	—	Treason	1778	Hanging	New Haven
Davenport, Barnet	20	White	Male	Servant	Murder	May 8, 1780	Hanging	Litchfield
Ocuish, Hannah	12	Native American	Female	—	Murder	December 20, 1786	Hanging	New London
Mountain, Joseph	33	Black	Male	—	Rape	January 20, 1790	Hanging	New Haven
Doane, Richard	—	White	Male	—	Murder	June 10, 1797	Hanging	Hartford
Starr, Thomas	—	White	Male	—	Murder	June 14, 1797	Hanging	Middlesex
Anthony	—	Black	Male	Freedman	Rape	November 8, 1798	Hanging	Fairfield
Adams, Caleb	18	White	Male	Laborer	Murder	November 29, 1803	Hanging	Windham
Freeman, Samuel	25	Black	Male	—	Murder	November 6, 1805	Hanging	Windham
Niles, Henry	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder	November 4, 1807	Hanging	New London
Babcock, Miner	—	White	Male	—	Murder	June 6, 1816	Hanging	New London
Lung, Peter	—	White	Male	—	Murder	June 20, 1816	Hanging	Middlesex
Adams, Amos	28	Black	Male	—	Rape	November 30, 1817	Hanging	Fairfield
Bailey, Adonijah	79	—	Male	—	Murder	1824	Hanging	Windham	Note 3
Washington, George	—	Native American	Male	—	Murder	June 1, 1824	Hanging	Tolland
Watkins, Oliver	—	White	Male	—	Murder	August 2, 1831	Hanging	Windham
Teller, William	28	White	Male	Convict	Murder	September 6, 1833	Hanging	Hartford	Note 1
Reynolds, Caesar	30	White	Male	Convict	Murder
Sherman	—	—	Male	—	Murder	June 13, 1834	Hanging	New London
Potter, Andrew	—	White	Male	—	Murder	July 20, 1846	Hanging	New Haven
Foote, Henry	—	White	Male	—	Murder	January 2, 1850	Hanging	New Haven	Note 1
McCaffrey, James	—	White	Male	—
Jennings, Michael	18	White	Male	—	Murder	July 11, 1854	Hanging	New Haven
Toole, Gerald	—	—	Male	Convict	Murder	1862	Hanging	Hartford
Starkweather, Albert	25	White	Male	Farmer	Murder	August 17, 1866	Hanging	Hartford
Wilson, James	47	White	Male	Convict	Murder	January 13, 1871	Hanging	Hartford
Hamlin, Henry	—	White	Male	Convict	Murder	May 28, 1880	Hanging	Hartford
Smith, James "Chip"	—	White	Male	—	Murder	September 1, 1882	Hanging	New Haven
Palladoni, Phillip	—	White	Male	—	Murder	January 5, 1888	Hanging	Fairfield
Swift, John	—	White	Male	Piano player	Murder	April 18, 1889	Hanging	Hartford
Scheele, Jacob	—	White	Male	Saloon keeper	Murder	June 18, 1891	Hanging	Fairfield
Borjensen, Andrew	—	White	Male	Laborer	Murder	January 29, 1892	Hanging	Litchfield
Petrillo, Angelo	—	White	Male	—	Murder	November 14, 1892	Hanging	New Haven
Cronin, John	38	White	Male	—	Murder	December 18, 1894	Hanging	Hartford
Hartlein, Kaspar	40	White	Male	—	Murder	December 13, 1896	Hanging	Hartford
Kippie, Thomas F.	42	White	Male	—	Murder	July 14, 1897	Hanging	New Haven
Fuda, Giuseppe	31	White	Male	Laborer	Murder	December 3, 1897	Hanging	Fairfield
Imposino, Nicodemo	22	White	Male	Laborer	Murder	December 17, 1897	Hanging	Fairfield
Boinay, Charles A.	34	White	Male	Wire weaver	Murder	April 14, 1898	Hanging	Fairfield
Willis, Benjamin R.	21	White	Male	—	Murder	December 30, 1898	Hanging	Fairfield
Brockhaus, Frederick M.	21	White	Male	Criminal	Murder	September 6, 1899	Hanging	Fairfield
Cross, Charles B.	18	White	Male	Farmhand	Murder	July 20, 1900	Hanging	Fairfield
Misik, Paul	34	White	Male	—	Murder	February 11, 1904	Hanging	Hartford
Watson, Joseph	18	Black	Male	Valet	Murder	November 17, 1904	Hanging	Hartford
Marx, Gershon	73	White	Male	Farmer	Murder	May 18, 1905	Hanging	New London
Sherouk, Ephriam	24	White	Male	Laborer	Murder	January 9, 1906	Hanging	Tolland
Bailey, Henry G.	40	White	Male	Farmhand	Murder	April 16, 1907	Hanging	Middlesex
Herman, Alexander	26	White	Male	—	Murder	May 10, 1907	Hanging	Fairfield
Washelesky, John	32	White	Male	—	Murder	July 1, 1908	Hanging	New Haven
Rossi, Lorenzo	31	White	Male	—	Murder	July 24, 1908	Hanging	Hartford
Zett, John	48	White	Male	—	Murder	December 21, 1908	Hanging	Tolland
Campagnolo, Giuseppe	28	White	Male	—	Murder	February 24, 1909	Hanging	New Haven	Note 1
Carfaro, Raffaele	19	White	Male	—	Murder
Zawedzianczek, John	28	White	Male	—	Murder	February 9, 1910	Hanging	Hartford
Tanganelli, Andrea	26	White	Male	—	Murder	March 29, 1912	Hanging	New Haven
Redding, George, Jr.	21	White	Male	Produce clerk	Murder	November 1, 1912	Hanging	New Haven
Saxon, Louis	29	White	Male	—	Murder	July 27, 1913	Hanging	Hartford
Plew, James	48	White	Male	Farmhand	Murder	March 4, 1914	Hanging	New Haven
Rikteraitis, Matijins	29	White	Male	—	Murder	May 8, 1914	Hanging	New Haven
Buonomo, Joseph	24	White	Male	Criminal	Murder	June 30, 1914	Hanging	Fairfield
Bergeron, Joseph	40	White	Male	—	Murder	August 11, 1914	Hanging	New Haven
Montvid, Bernard	23	White	Male	—	Murder	August 6, 1915	Hanging	Hartford
Grela, Frank	41	White	Male	—	Murder	August 13, 1915	Hanging	Hartford
Roe, Harry	22	White	Male	—	Murder	March 3, 1916	Hanging	Hartford [3]	Note 1
Williams, Isaac	30	White	Male	—	Murder
Zuppa, Pasquale	28	White	Male	—	Murder	March 10, 1916	Hanging	New Haven
Vetere, Francisco	25	White	Male	Entertainer	Murder	October 5, 1917	Hanging	New Haven	Note 1
Castelli, Joseph	24	White	Male	—	Murder
Buglione, Stephen	20	White	Male	—	Murder	November 16, 1917	Hanging	Hartford	Note 1
Donvanso, Giovanni	21	White	Male	—	Murder
Wise, William	23	White	Male	—	Murder	December 14, 1917	Hanging	Hartford
Dusso, Frank	25	White	Male	Longshoreman	Murder	June 17, 1918	Hanging	New Haven	Note 2
Pisaniello, Carmine	21	White	Male	—	Murder
Lanzillo, Carmine	24	White	Male	Laborer	Murder
Perretta, Erasmo	28	White	Male	—	Murder	June 27, 1919	Hanging	Hartford	Note 1
Perretta, Joseph	33	White	Male	—	Murder
Nechesnook, Nikifor	28	White	Male	—	Murder	December 3, 1919	Hanging	New Haven
Cerrone, Daniel	31	White	Male	—	Murder	March 5, 1920	Hanging	New Haven
Wade, Elwood	24	White	Male	—	Murder	May 20, 1921	Hanging	Fairfield
Kaurawskas, John	36	White	Male	Laborer	Murder	May 27, 1921	Hanging	New Haven
Schutte, Emil	55	White	Male	Merchant	Murder	October 24, 1922	Hanging	Middlesex
Chapman, Gerald	35	White	Male	Gangster	Murder	April 6, 1926	Hanging	Hartford
Wing, Soo Hoo	19	Asian	Male	—	Murder	November 8, 1927	Hanging	Hartford	Note 1
Lung, Chin	33	Asian	Male	—	Murder
Feltovic, John	19	White	Male	—	Murder	December 10, 1929	Hanging	Fairfield
Dibattista, Frank	26	White	Male	—	Murder	February 21, 1930	Hanging	Hartford
Lorenzo, Henry	26	White	Male	—	Murder	August 12, 1930	Hanging	Hartford
Simborski, John	30	White	Male	—	Murder	April 7, 1936	Hanging	New Haven
McElroy, James	45	White	Male	Steamfitter	Murder	February 10, 1937	Electrocution	New Haven
Palka, Frank	26	White	Male	Mechanic	Murder	April 12, 1938	Electrocution	Fairfield
Weaver, Ira	36	White	Male	Handyman	Murder	April 29, 1940	Electrocution	Middlesex	Note 1
Cots, Vincent	32	White	Male	Mechanic	Murder
Gurski, Peter	28	White	Male	—	Murder	February 23, 1943	Electrocution	Litchfield
Funderburk, Wilson	38	Black	Male	—	Murder	April 20, 1943	Electrocution	Hartford
Decaro, Carlo	20	White	Male	Factory worker	Murder	May 3, 1944	Electrocution	Hartford
Rossi, Nicholas	33	White	Male	—	Murder	June 18, 1945	Electrocution	Hartford
Lewie, Raymond	19	White	Male	Convict	Murder	October 1, 1946	Electrocution	Hartford	Note 2
Tommaselli, Arthur	25	White	Male
McCarthy, James	21	White	Male
Bradley, Robert	38	Black	Male	Trash collector	Murder	April 12, 1948	Electrocution	New Haven
Lorain, William	34	White	Male	—	Murder	July 11, 1955	Electrocution	Hartford
Malm, Robert	32	White	Male	Dishwasher	Murder	July 18, 1955	Electrocution	Hartford	Note 1
Donahue, John	22	White	Male	Parolee	Murder			Fairfield
Davies, George	41	White	Male	Machine tool operator	Murder	September 20, 1959	Electrocution	New Haven
Wojculewicz, Frank	42	White	Male	Gangster	Murder	October 26, 1959	Electrocution	Hartford
Taborsky, Joseph L.	36	White	Male	Gangster	Murder	May 17, 1960	Electrocution	Hartford
Ross, Michael B.	45	White	Male	Insurance salesman	Murder	May 13, 2005	Lethal injection	Tolland
Average Age:	30.56

Notes:

1. On this occasion, two executions took place.
2. On this occasion, three executions took place.
3. This is what the chart claimed in 2005, but contrary to popular belief, Adonijah Bailey was not the oldest person executed at age 79 in 1824; instead, he was tried and sentenced to death at age 80 in January 1825 for the murder of Jeremiah W. Pollock, and hanged himself on May 24, over 2 weeks before he was to be executed. ^{[4] [5]} The title of the oldest person executed goes instead to Gershon Marx, hanged on May 18, 1905, for murder at age 73. ^[6]
4. James Savage, ed., John Winthrop, The History of New England from 1630 to 1649, Vol. 2, (Boston:Little, Brown, 1853), page 324. See also Goodheart, where there are 158 death penalty victims identified for Connecticut. ^[7]
5. Posthumously pardoned.

Summary

Age	Frequency	Percent
19 and below	9	5%
20 to 29	39	28%
30 to 39	25	18%
40 to 49	13	9%
50 and above	2	1%
Unknown	51	37%
Race	Frequency	Percent
White	113	81%
Native American	11	8%
Black	10	7%
Asian	2	1%
Unknown	3	2%
Sex	Frequency	Percent
Male	125	90%
Female [8]	14	10%
Crime	Frequency	Percent
Murder	116	83%
Witchcraft	9	6%
Rape	5	4%
Sodomy	5	4%
Treason	2	1%
Burglary	1	1%
Incest	1	1%
Date	Frequency	Percent
1600 to 1699	18	13%
1700 to 1799	22	16%
1800 to 1899	33	24%
1900 to 1999	65	47%
2000 to present	1	1%
Method	Frequency	Percent
Hanging	119	86%
Electrocution	18	13%
Beheading	1	1%
Lethal injection	1	1%
County	Frequency	Percent
Hartford	48	35%
New Haven	42	30%
Fairfield	18	13%
New London	9	6%
Middlesex	6	4%
Windham	5	4%
Litchfield	4	3%
Tolland	4	3%
Unknown	3	1%
Total:	139 executions

See also

• Capital punishment in Connecticut
• Capital punishment in the United States
• Ocuish, Hannah
• Ross, Michael Bruce
• Taborsky, Joseph "Mad Dog"
• Young, Achsah

Notes

1. Thomas Rood's daughter, Sarah Rood, whom he was convicted of having sexual relations with and who had fathered his child, was also tried for incest and pleaded guilty. However, Sarah was spared execution and instead flogged after the court found that her father had been raping her.

References

1. "Connecticut governor signs death penalty repeal". CBS News. April 25, 2012.
2. "Connecticut confronted as originator of New England witch trials". March 2, 2023.
3. "Williams and Roe Are Denied Pardons" (PDF). Norwich Bulletin. February 29, 1916.
4. "RootsWeb: RIGENWEB-L Re: [RIGENWEB] Pollock Murder -- the Scoop". Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
5. "The Telescope". 1824.
6. "[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----CONN., ALA., MISS., KY., USA".
7. Goodheart, Lawrence B. (January 1, 2011). The Solemn Sentence of Death: Capital Punishment in Connecticut. Univ of Massachusetts Press. ISBN   978-1558498471.
8. Pollard, Heather. "The Execution of Women in Connecticut". Research Gate. Retrieved May 17, 2024.

7. https://archives.albany.edu/concern/daos/cz30q762p

External links

• Death Penalty News from Mail-Archive.com
• Connecticut Executions from 1894 to 2005