This is a list of people executed by lethal injection in Missouri, comprising 99 convicted murderers since 1976, when the US Supreme Court reaffirmed the death penalty with its decision in Gregg v. Georgia .
No. | Name | Race | Date of execution | County | Victim(s) | Age at offense | Age at execution | Governor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | George C. Mercer | White | January 6, 1989 [lower-alpha 1] | Cass [lower-alpha 2] | Karen Keeton | 34 | 44 | John Ashcroft |
2 | Gerald Smith | White | January 18, 1990 [lower-alpha 3] | St. Louis City | Karen Roberts | 23 | 32 | |
3 | Winford L. Stokes Jr. | Black | May 11, 1990 | St. Louis | Pamela Benda | 27 | 39 | |
4 | Leonard Marvin Laws | White | May 17, 1990 | Clarence Williams and Lottie Williams | 31 | 41 | ||
5 | George Clifton Gilmore | White | August 21, 1990 | Mary Luella Watters, Clarence Williams, Lottie Williams | 34 | 44 | ||
6 | Maurice Oscar Byrd | Black | August 23, 1991 | 4 murder victims [lower-alpha 4] | 26 | 37 | ||
7 | Ricky Lee Grubbs | White | October 21, 1992 | St. Francois | Jerry Thornton | 26 | 34 | |
8 | Martsay Bolder | Black | January 27, 1993 | Randolph | Theron King | 22 | 36 | Mel Carnahan |
9 | Walter Junior Blair | Black | July 21, 1993 | Jackson | Katherine Jo Allen | 19 | 33 | |
10 | Frederick Lashley | Black | July 28, 1993 | St. Louis City | Janie Tracy | 17 | 29 | |
11 | Frank Joseph Guinan | White | October 6, 1993 | Franklin | John McBroom | 36 | 48 | |
12 | Emmitt Foster | Black | May 3, 1995 | St. Louis | Travis Walker | 32 | 44 | |
13 | Larry Griffin | Black | June 21, 1995 | St. Louis City | Quintin Moss | 26 | 41 | |
14 | Robert Anthony Murray | Black | July 26, 1995 | Jeffrey Jackson and Craig Stewart | 22 | 32 | ||
15 | Robert T. Sidebottom | White | November 15, 1995 | Jackson | May Sidebottom | 23 | 33 | |
16 | Anthony Joe Larette Jr. | White | November 29, 1995 | St. Charles [lower-alpha 5] | Mary Fleming | 29 | 44 | |
17 | Robert Earl O'Neal Jr. | White | December 6, 1995 | Butler | Arthur Dade | 23 | 34 | |
18 | Jeffrey Paul Sloan | White | February 21, 1996 | Clay | 4 murder victims [1] [lower-alpha 6] | 19 | 29 | |
19 | Doyle James Williams | White | April 10, 1996 | A. H. Domann and Kerry Bummett | 33 | 49 | ||
20 | Emmett Clifton Nave | Native American | July 31, 1996 | St. Charles | Geneva Roling | 43 | 56 | |
21 | Thomas Henry Battle | Black | August 7, 1996 | St. Louis City | Birdie Johnson | 18 | 34 | |
22 | Richard Oxford | White | August 21, 1996 | Platte | Harold Wampler and Melba Wampler | 30 | 40 | |
23 | Richard Steven Zeitvogel | White | December 11, 1996 | Cole | Gary Wayne Dew | 25 | 40 | |
24 | Eric Adam Schneider | White | January 29, 1997 | Jefferson | Richard Schwendeman and Ronald Thompson | 24 | 36 | |
25 | Ralph Cecil Feltrop | White | August 6, 1997 | Barbara Ann Roam | 32 | 42 | ||
26 | Donald Edward Reese | White | August 13, 1997 | 4 murder victims [lower-alpha 7] | 43 | 54 | ||
27 | Andrew Wessel Six | White | August 20, 1997 | Schuyler | Kathy Allen | 22 | 32 | |
28 | Samuel Lee McDonald Jr. | Black | September 24, 1997 | St. Louis City | Robert Jordan | 33 | 49 | |
29 | Alan Jeffrey Bannister | White | October 24, 1997 | McDonald | Darrell Ruestman | 24 | 39 | |
30 | Reginald Love Powell | Black | February 25, 1998 | St. Louis City | Freddie Miller and Arthur Miller | 18 | 29 | |
31 | Milton Vincent Griffin-El | Black | March 25, 1998 | Jerome Redden | 25 | 37 | ||
32 | Glennon Paul Sweet | White | April 22, 1998 | Clay | Missouri State Trooper Russell Harper | 32 | 43 | |
33 | Kelvin Shelby Malone | Black | January 13, 1999 | St. Louis | William Parr [lower-alpha 8] | 20 | 38 | |
34 | James Edward Rodden Jr. | White | February 24, 1999 | Clay | Terry Trunnel and Joseph Arnold | 23 | 39 | |
35 | Roy Michael Roberts | White | March 10, 1999 | Marion | Correctional officer Tom Jackson | 31 | 45 | |
36 | Roy Ramsey Jr. | Black | April 14, 1999 | Jackson | Garnett Ledford and Betty Ledford | 35 | 46 | |
37 | Ralph E. Davis | Black | April 28, 1999 | Boone | Susan Davis | 48 | 61 | |
38 | Jessie Lee Wise | Black | May 26, 1999 | St. Louis | Geraldine McDonald | 35 | 46 | |
39 | Bruce Kilgore | Black | June 16, 1999 | St. Louis City | Marilyn Wilkins | 26 | 39 | |
40 | Robert Allen Walls | White | June 30, 1999 | St. Louis | Fred Harmon | 20 | 34 | |
41 | David R. Leisure | White | September 1, 1999 | St. Louis City | James A. Michaels Sr. | 30 | 49 | |
42 | James Henry Hampton | White | March 22, 2000 | Callaway | Frances Keaton | 54 | 62 | |
43 | Bert Leroy Hunter | White | June 28, 2000 | Cole | Mildred Hodges and Richard Hodges | 41 | 53 | |
44 | Gary Lee Roll | White | August 30, 2000 | Boone | Sherry Scheper, Randy Scheper and Curtis Scheper | 40 | 48 | |
45 | George Bernard Harris | Black | September 13, 2000 | Jackson | Stanley Willoughby | 29 | 41 | |
46 | James Wilson Chambers | White | November 15, 2000 | Jefferson | Jerry Lee Oestricker | 30 | 48 | Roger B. Wilson |
47 | Stanley Dewaine Lingar | White | February 7, 2001 | Ripley [lower-alpha 9] | Thomas Scott Allen | 21 | 37 | Bob Holden |
48 | Tomas Grant Ervin | White | March 28, 2001 | Cole | Mildred Hodges and Richard Hodges | 37 | 50 | |
49 | Mose Young Jr. | Black | April 25, 2001 | St. Louis City | Kent Bicknese, James Schneider and Sol Marks | 27 | 45 | |
50 | Samuel D. Smith | Black | May 23, 2001 | Callaway | Marlin May | 26 | 40 | |
51 | Jerome Mallett | Black | July 11, 2001 | Perry | Missouri State Trooper James F. Froemsdorf | 26 | 42 | |
52 | Michael S. Roberts | White | October 3, 2001 | St. Louis | Mary L. Taylor | 19 | 27 | |
53 | Stephen K. Johns | White | October 24, 2001 | St. Louis City | Donald Voepel | 35 | 55 | |
54 | James R. Johnson | White | January 9, 2002 | Moniteau | 4 murder victims [lower-alpha 10] | 42 | 52 | |
55 | Michael I. Owsley | Black | February 6, 2002 | Jackson | Elvin Iverson | 31 | 40 | |
56 | Jeffrey Lane Tokar | White | March 6, 2002 | Warren | Johnny Douglass | 27 | 37 | |
57 | Paul W. Kreutzer | White | April 10, 2002 | Callaway | Louise Hemphill | 20 | 30 | |
58 | Daniel Anthony Basile | White | August 14, 2002 | St. Charles | Elizabeth DeCaro | 25 | 35 | |
59 | William Robert Jones Jr. | White | November 20, 2002 | Jackson | Stanley Albert | 21 | 38 | |
60 | Kenneth Kenley | White | February 5, 2003 | Butler | Ronald Felts | 23 | 42 | |
61 | John Clayton Smith | White | October 29, 2003 | Audrain | Brandie Kearnes and Wayne Hoewing | 35 | 41 | |
62 | Stanley L. Hall | Black | March 16, 2005 [lower-alpha 11] | St. Louis | Barbara Jo Wood | 26 | 37 | Matt Blunt |
63 | Donald Jones | Black | April 27, 2005 [lower-alpha 12] | St. Louis City | Dorothy Knuckles | 26 | 38 | |
64 | Vernon Brown | Black | May 18, 2005 | Janet Perkins and Synetta Ford | 33 | 51 | ||
65 | Timothy L. Johnston | White | August 31, 2005 | Nancy Johnston | 28 | 44 | ||
66 | Marlin Andrew Gray | Black | October 26, 2005 | Julie Kerry and Robin Kerry | 23 | 38 | ||
67 | Dennis James Skillicorn | White | May 20, 2009 | Lafayette | Richard Drummond | 34 | 49 | Jay Nixon |
68 | Martin C. Link | White | February 9, 2011 | St. Louis City | Elissa Self | 27 | 47 | |
69 | Joseph Paul Franklin | White | November 20, 2013 | St. Louis | Gerald Gordon | 27 | 63 | |
70 | Allen L. Nicklasson | White | December 11, 2013 | Lafayette | Richard Drummond | 22 | 41 | |
71 | Herbert L. Smulls | Black | January 29, 2014 | St. Louis | Stephen Honickman | 33 | 56 | |
72 | Michael Anthony Taylor | Black | February 26, 2014 | Jackson | Ann Harrison | 22 | 47 | |
73 | Jeffrey R. Ferguson | White | March 26, 2014 | St. Louis | Kelli Hall | 34 | 59 | |
74 | William Lewis Rousan | White | April 23, 2014 | St. Francois | Charles Lewis and Grace Lewis | 37 | 57 | |
75 | John E. Winfield | Black | June 18, 2014 | St. Louis | Arthea Sanders and Shawnee Murphy | 26 | 43 | |
76 | John C. Middleton | White | July 16, 2014 | Harrison | Alfred Pinegar, Stacy Hodge and Randy Hamilton | 35 | 54 | |
77 | Michael Shane Worthington [2] | White | August 6, 2014 | St. Charles | Melinda Griffin | 24 | 43 | |
78 | Earl Ringo Jr. | Black | September 10, 2014 | Boone | Dennis Poyser and Joanna Baysinger | 24 | 40 | |
79 | Leon Vincent Taylor | Black | November 19, 2014 | Jackson | Robert Newton | 36 | 56 | |
80 | Paul Terrence Goodwin | White | December 10, 2014 | St. Louis | Joan Crotts | 31 | 48 | |
81 | Walter Timothy Storey | White | February 11, 2015 | St. Charles | Jill Frey | 22 | 47 | |
82 | Cecil Lee Clayton | White | March 17, 2015 | Barry | Barry County Deputy Christopher Castetter | 56 | 74 | |
83 | Andre Vincent Cole | Black | April 14, 2015 | St. Louis | Anthony Curtis | 35 | 52 | |
84 | Richard Lamont Strong | Black | June 9, 2015 | Eva Washington and Zandrea Thomas | 33 | 48 | ||
85 | David Stanley Zink | White | July 14, 2015 | St. Clair | Amanda Morton | 41 | 55 | |
86 | Roderick Nunley | Black | September 1, 2015 | Jackson | Ann Harrison | 24 | 50 | |
87 | Earl Mitchell Forrest II | White | May 11, 2016 | Dent [lower-alpha 13] | Dent County Sheriff's Deputy Sharon Joann Barnes, Harriet Smith, and Michael Wells | 53 | 66 | |
88 | Mark Anthony Christeson | White | January 31, 2017 | Maries | Susan Brouk, Adrian Brouk, and Kyle Brouk | 18 | 37 | Eric Greitens |
89 | Russell Earl Bucklew | White | October 1, 2019 | Cape Girardeau [lower-alpha 14] | Michael Sanders | 27 | 51 | Mike Parson |
90 | Walter E. Barton | White | May 19, 2020 | Christian | Gladys Kuehler [3] | 35 | 64 | |
91 | Ernest Lee Johnson | Black | October 5, 2021 | Boone | Mary Bratcher, Mabel Scruggs, and Fred Jones | 33 | 61 | |
92 | Carman L. Deck | White | May 3, 2022 | Jefferson | James Long and Zelma Long | 30 | 56 | |
93 | Kevin Johnson Jr. | Black | November 29, 2022 | St. Louis | Kirkwood police Sergeant William Leo McEntee | 19 | 37 | |
94 | Amber McLaughlin | White | January 3, 2023 | Beverly Guenther | 30 | 49 | ||
95 | Leonard Sheldon Taylor | Black | February 7, 2023 | 4 murder victims [lower-alpha 15] | 40 | 58 | ||
96 | Michael Andrew Tisius | White | June 6, 2023 | Randolph [lower-alpha 16] | Randolph County Jail Guards Jason Lee Acton and Leon Earl Egley | 19 | 42 | |
97 | Johnny Allen Johnson | White | August 1, 2023 | St. Louis | Cassandra Lynn Williamson | 24 | 45 | |
98 | Brian Joseph Dorsey | White | April 9, 2024 | Callaway [lower-alpha 17] | Benjamin Wade Bonnie and Sarah Ann Bonnie | 34 | 52 | |
99 | David Russell Hosier | White | June 11, 2024 | Cole | Angela Yvonne Gilpin and Rodney Dean Gilpin | 54 | 69 |
Race | ||
---|---|---|
White | 61 | 62% |
Black | 37 | 37% |
Native American | 1 | 1% |
Age | ||
20–29 | 4 | 4% |
30–39 | 28 | 28% |
40–49 | 40 | 40% |
50–59 | 19 | 19% |
60–69 | 7 | 7% |
70–79 | 1 | 1% |
Date of execution | ||
1976–1979 | 0 | 0% |
1980–1989 | 1 | 1% |
1990–1999 | 40 | 40% |
2000–2009 | 26 | 26% |
2010–2019 | 22 | 22% |
2020–2029 | 10 | 10% |
Method | ||
Lethal injection | 99 | 100% |
Governor (Party) | ||
Kit Bond (R) | 0 | 0% |
Joseph P. Teasdale (D) | 0 | 0% |
John Ashcroft (R) | 7 | 7% |
Mel Carnahan (D) | 38 | 38% |
Roger B. Wilson (D) | 1 | 1% |
Bob Holden (D) | 15 | 15% |
Matt Blunt (R) | 5 | 5% |
Jay Nixon (D) | 21 | 21% |
Eric Greitens (R) | 1 | 1% |
Mike Parson (R) | 11 | 11% |
Total | 99 | 100% |
Capital punishment is not allowed to be carried out in the U.S. state of California, due to both a standing 2006 federal court order against the practice and a 2019 moratorium on executions ordered by Governor Gavin Newsom. The litigation resulting in the court order has been on hold since the promulgation of the moratorium. Should the moratorium end and the freeze concluded, executions could resume under the current state law.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in the U.S. state of Ohio, although all executions have been suspended indefinitely by Governor Mike DeWine until a replacement for lethal injection is chosen by the Ohio General Assembly. The last execution in the state was in July 2018, when Robert J. Van Hook was executed via lethal injection for murder.
Capital punishment was abolished via the legislative process on May 2, 2013, in the U.S. state of Maryland.
Potosi Correctional Center (PCC) is a Missouri Department of Corrections prison located in unincorporated Washington County, Missouri, near Mineral Point. The facility currently houses 800 death row, maximum security and high-risk male inmates.
George C. "Tiny" Mercer was an American man who was convicted for the rape and murder of 22-year-old Karen Keeton in Belton, Missouri, on August 31, 1978. At the time of the murder, Mercer had a charge pending against him of raping a 17-year-old girl. He was executed at the age of 44 by the state of Missouri by lethal injection. He became the first person to be executed in Missouri since 1965. His execution was carried out in the former gas chamber which was converted to use lethal injection.
Opened in 1969, Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison (GDCP) is a Georgia Department of Corrections prison for men in unincorporated Butts County, Georgia, near Jackson. The prison holds the state execution chamber. The execution equipment was moved to the prison in June 1980, with the first execution in the facility occurring on December 15, 1983. The prison houses the male death row, while female death row inmates reside in Arrendale State Prison.
The Missouri State Penitentiary was a prison in Jefferson City, Missouri, that operated from 1836 to 2004. Part of the Missouri Department of Corrections, it served as the state of Missouri's primary maximum security institution. Before it closed, it was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It was replaced by the Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened on September 15, 2004. The penitentiary is now a tourist attraction, and guided tours are offered.
Capital punishment in Missouri first used in 1810 is a legal penalty in the U.S. state of Missouri.
Capital punishment is a legal punishment in Pennsylvania. Despite remaining a legal penalty, there have been no executions in Pennsylvania since 1999, and only three since 1976. In February 2015, Governor Tom Wolf announced a formal moratorium on executions that is still in effect as of 2023, with incumbent Governor Josh Shapiro continuing Wolf's moratorium. However, capital crimes are still prosecuted and death warrants are still issued.
Ernest Lee Johnson was an American criminal convicted and executed for the murder of three convenience store employees in Boone County, Missouri in 1994. Johnson's execution by lethal injection proved controversial, as a 2008 surgery had removed up to 20 percent of his brain tissue, leaving Johnson permanently cognitively disabled.
Kelvin Shelby Malone was an American spree killer who murdered at least four people in March 1981. Convicted of three murders but suspected in five; he was sentenced to death in both California and Missouri in 1983 and 1984 respectively. He remained on death row at San Quentin State Prison until he was extradited to Missouri in December 1998 to face execution. He was executed in January 1999 at the Potosi Correctional Center via lethal injection.
Robert Earl O'Neal Jr. was an American white supremacist and convicted murderer who was executed by the state of Missouri for the February 1984 murder of Arthur Dade, a 33-year-old black American man. O'Neal, who was serving a life sentence for the robbery and murder of 78-year-old Ralph Roscoe Sharick, stabbed Dade to death at the Missouri State Penitentiary. For the latter murder, O'Neal was sentenced to death and executed in 1995 at the Potosi Correctional Center via lethal injection. O'Neal is notable for being the only white person to be executed for killing a black person in the history of modern Missouri.
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