List of people executed in Delaware

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The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Delaware since capital punishment was resumed in the United States in 1976.

Contents

All of the 16 people were convicted of murder and have been executed at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, near Smyrna, Delaware. [1] Capital punishment was abolished in Delaware on August 2, 2016. [2]

List of people executed in Delaware since 1976

No.NameRaceAgeSexDate of executionMethodVictim(s)Governor
1 Steven Brian Pennell White34MMarch 14, 1992 Lethal injection Shirley Ellis and Catherine DiMauro Michael Castle
2 James Allen Red Dog Native American39MMarch 3, 1993Hugh Pennington [a] Thomas Carper
3Kenneth W. DeShieldsBlack33MAugust 31, 1993Elizabeth Reed
4Andre S. DeputyBlack45MJune 23, 1994Byard Smith and Alberta Smith
5 Nelson W. Shelton White27MMarch 17, 1995 Wilson Mannon Jr.
6 Billy Bailey White49MJanuary 25, 1996 Hanging Gilbert Lamberton and Clara Lamberton
7William Henry FlamerBlack41MJanuary 30, 1996Lethal injectionByard Smith and Alberta Smith
8 James B. Clark Jr. White39MApril 19, 1996Elizabeth Clark and James Clark Sr.
9David J. LawrieWhite37MApril 23, 19994 murder victims [b]
10Willie G. SullivanBlack28MSeptember 24, 1999Maurice Dodd
11Dwayne L. WeeksBlack37MNovember 17, 2000Gwendolyn Weeks and Craig Williams
12 David F. Dawson White46MApril 26, 2001Madeline Marie Kisner Ruth Ann Minner
13Abdullah Tanzil Hameen [c] Black37MMay 25, 2001Troy Hodges
14 Brian David Steckel White36MNovember 4, 2005Sandra Lee Long
15Robert W. Jackson IIIWhite38MJuly 29, 2011Elizabeth Girardi Jack A. Markell
16 Shannon M. Johnson Black28MApril 20, 2012Cameron Hamlin

Executions before 1972

The following individuals were executed in Delaware in county prisons ("workhouses") by hanging before 1972, when the Furman v. Georgia ruling briefly abolished capital punishment. Delaware independently abolished capital punishment in 1958 but reinstated it in 1974. [3] [4]

NameRaceAgeSexDate of executionCountyCrimeVictim(s)Governor
John SmithMDecember 21, 1815 New Castle Murder [5] Daniel Rodney
William PiperWhiteMApril 18, 1820 Sussex MurderFemale, white (mother) [6] John Collins
Jacob ElliottBlackMDecember 31, 1822 New Castle MurderJohn Kean, white [7] Caleb Rodney
Elisha SharpWhiteMNovember 8, 1825 Sussex MurderTwo people, white (wife and child) [8] Samuel Paynter
Robert MorrisMNovember 8, 1831 Sussex Murder [9] David Hazzard
Samuel WardBlack22MSeptember 8, 1852 New Castle MurderGeorge A. Davidson, white [10] William H. H. Ross
John BowenWhiteMFebruary 10, 1860 New Castle MurderJohn W. Dewlin, white [11] William Burton
John CannonBlack18MDecember 14, 1860 Sussex MurderMs. Griffin, 14, white [12] Gove Saulsbury
Sarah BradleyBlack18FMurderEllen Wright, 14 months, white [13]
Levi JenkinsBlack35MRapeFemale, black [14]
John CannonBlackMDecember 28, 1860 Kent RapeMary Ann Martin, white [15]
Andrew ArmstrongWhite53MFebruary 8, 1867 New Castle MurderMrs. Douglass, white (wife) [16] [d]
Joshua JonesBlackMFebruary 4, 1870 New Castle RapeMary Meredith, white [17]
Louis CarpenterBlackM
Benjamin JohnsonBlackMDecember 16, 1870 Sussex RapeCharlotte Fletcher, white [18]
Joseph BurtonBlackMJune 20, 1873 Sussex RapeMs. Laut, 16, white [19] James Ponder
Clement HurleyM1875 Sussex Murder [20] John P. Cochran
John RhodesBlack24MSeptember 21, 1877 New Castle MurderJames Temple, black [21]
Samuel ChambersBlack35MMarch 22, 1878 New Castle RapeKate Smith, white [22]
George CollinsBlack19M
James ReddenBlack21MAugust 25, 1882 New Castle RapeSallie Purse, white [23] John W. Hall
Charles RobinsonBlack33MApril 16, 1886 New Castle RapeElla F. Gardner, white [24] Charles C. Stockley
Jesse ProctorBlack34MFebruary 13, 1891 Kent Robbery-MurderStephen Lindsay, white [25] Robert J. Reynolds
Fredrick YoungBlack17M
Shakespeare ReevesBlack33MMarch 6, 1891 New Castle RapeGrace Clark, 11, white [26]
James ThoroughgoodBlackMAugust 7, 1891 Kent RapeLouisa Huffington, 8, black [27]
Edward WrightBlack29MJuly 1, 1897 New Castle MurderIda Crummel, 23, black (lover) [28] Ebe W. Tunnell
James GordyWhiteMJune 11, 1897 Sussex MurderMary Lewis Gordy, white (wife) [29]
John JoinerBlack25MSeptember 2, 1904 New Castle MurderJohn R. Taylor, black [30] John Hunn
Lewis Jones30MJanuary 11, 1907 New Castle Murder [31] Preston Lea
William ArcherBlack21MJanuary 25, 1907 New Castle MurderIda E. Spires, black (lover) [32]
Reese RobertsBlack30MJuly 14, 1911 New Castle Robbery-MurderRobert and Ann Casey, 70 and 68, white [33] Simeon S. Pennewill
Peter KrakusWhite25MMay 14, 1915 New Castle MurderFrancis X. Tierney, white (policeman) [34] Charles R. Miller
William PrettymanBlack29MSeptember 28, 1917 New Castle MurderHarry Parker, black [35] John G. Townsend Jr.
Adam HargusBlack34M
Webster PurnellBlack36M
Samuel GangusWhite24MJanuary 11, 1918 New Castle MurderCatherine Bodjeska, white [36]
Ernest ThomasBlack21MNovember 26, 1920 New Castle RapeEmma Talley, 58, white [37]
Lemuel PriceBlack24MDecember 3, 1920 New Castle MurderThomas Zebley, white (policeman) [38]
Harry ButlerBlack21MFebruary 26, 1926 Sussex RapeEleanor Steinmetz, 10, white [39] [e] Robert P. Robinson
Carl SkinnerBlack27MMay 27, 1927 Sussex RapeJulia A. Bennett, 85, white [40]
Louis GalvanoWhite21MMarch 28, 1930 New Castle MurderArthur C. Cline, white [41] C. Douglass Buck
Theodore RossBlack24MAugust 22, 1930 New Castle RapeMary Read, 21, white [42]
John MorganWhite44MApril 12, 1935 Kent MurderDominique Pierre and Frank Foster, white [43]
May CareyWhite52FJune 7, 1935 Sussex MurderRobert R. Hitchens, white (May's brother) [44]
Howard CareyWhite28M
George ScottBlack26MNovember 20, 1936 New Castle MurderElbert Paul, black [45]
Isaiah OpherBlack36MJanuary 3, 1937 New Castle Rape-MurderFemale, 13, black [46]
Joseph NelsonBlack36MJune 4, 1937 Sussex MurderCarrie Lethal, black (common-law wife) [47] Richard McMullen
Curnel RobinsonBlack34MJanuary 14, 1941 New Castle RapeFemale, 15, white [48]
Ralph ErnestWhite33MJanuary 9, 1942 New Castle RapeFemale, 6, white [49] Walter W. Bacon
Anderson ButlerBlack23MDecember 7, 1945 New Castle RapeFemale, 13, white [50]
Forrest SturdivantBlack34MMay 10, 1946 Sussex MurderMale, black [51]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Red Dog killed 4 additional people in Montana, California & Illinois
  2. ↑ The 4 victims were: Michelle Lawrie, Fawn Lawrie, Tabitha Lawrie, and Charles Humbertson.
  3. ↑ Formerly known as Cornelius Ferguson.
  4. ↑ Also admitted to "various bloody deeds" he committed while working as a chain bearer for a coastal survey in California.
  5. ↑ Also attacked a black woman, Bertha Neal.

References

  1. ↑ "Death Row Executions". Delaware Department of Correction. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ Eckholm, Erik (August 2, 2016). "Delaware Supreme Court Rules State's Death Penalty Unconstitutional". The New York Times . Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Executions in Delaware - 1662-1946 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Delaware", Death Penalty Information Center
  5. ↑ John Smith, DE, 1815 December 21, Espy Archive
  6. ↑ William Piper, DE, 1820 April 18, Espy Archive
  7. ↑ Jacob Elliott, DE, 1822 December 31, Espy Archive
  8. ↑ Elisha Sharp, DE, 1825 November 8, Espy Archive
  9. ↑ Robert Morris, DE, 1831 November 8, Espy Archive
  10. ↑ Samuel Ward, DE, 1852 September 8, Espy Archive
  11. ↑ John Bowen, DE, 1860 February 10, Espy Archive
  12. ↑ John Cannon, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  13. ↑ Sarah Bradley, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  14. ↑ Levi Jenkins, DE, 1869 December 14, Espy Archive
  15. ↑ John Cannon, DE, 1860 December 28, Espy Archive
  16. ↑ Andrew Armstrong, 1867 February 8, Espy Archive
  17. ↑ Joshua Jones, DE, 1870 February 4, Espy Archive
  18. ↑ Benjamin Johnson, DE, 1870, Espy Archive
  19. ↑ Joseph Burton, DE, 1873 June 20, Espy Archive
  20. ↑ Clement Hurley, DE, 1875, Espy Archive
  21. ↑ John Rhodes, DE, 1877 September 21, Espy Archive
  22. ↑ George Collins, DE, 1878 March 22, Espy Archive
  23. ↑ James Redden, DE, 1882 August 25, Espy Archive
  24. ↑ Charles Robinson, DE, 1886 April 16, Espy Archive
  25. ↑ Jesse Proctor, DE, 1891 February 13, Espy Archive
  26. ↑ Shakespeare Reeves, DE, 1891 March 6, Espy Archive
  27. ↑ James Thoroughgood, DE, 1891 August 7, Espy Archive
  28. ↑ Edward Wright, DE, 1897 January 1, Espy Archive
  29. ↑ James Gordy, DE, 1897 June 11, Espy Archive
  30. ↑ John Joiner, DE, 1904 September 2, Espy Archive
  31. ↑ Lewis Jones, DE, 1907 January 11, Espy Archive
  32. ↑ William Archer, DE, 1907 January 25, Espy Archive
  33. ↑ Reese Roberts, DE, 1911 July 14, Espy Archive
  34. ↑ Peter Krakus, DE, 1915 May 14, Espy Archive
  35. ↑ Webster Purnell, DE, 1917 September 28, Espy Archive
  36. ↑ Samuel Gangus, DE, 1918 January 11, Espy Archive
  37. ↑ Ernest Thomas, 1920 November 26, Espy Archive
  38. ↑ Lemuel Price, DE, 1920 December 3, Espy Archive
  39. ↑ Harry Butler, DE, 1926 February 26, Espy Archive
  40. ↑ Carl Skinner, DE, 1927 May 27, Espy Archive
  41. ↑ Louis Galvano, DE, 1930 March 28, Espy Archive
  42. ↑ Theodore Ross, DE, 1930 August 22, Espy Archive
  43. ↑ John Morgan, DE, 1935 April 12, Espy Archive
  44. ↑ May Carey, Howard Carey, 1935 June 7, Espy Archive
  45. ↑ George Scott, DE, 1936 November 20, Espy Archive
  46. ↑ Isaiah Opher, DE, 1937 January 3, Espy Archive
  47. ↑ Joseph Nelson, DE, 1937 June 4, Espy Archive
  48. ↑ Curnel Robinson, DE, 1941 January 14, Espy Archive
  49. ↑ Ralph Ernest, DE, 1942 January 9, Espy Archive
  50. ↑ Anderson Butler, DE, 1945 December 7, Espy Archive
  51. ↑ Forrest Sturdivant, DE, 1946 May 10, Espy Archive
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