Wikipedia

List of people executed in Colorado

The following is a list of people executed in the U.S. state of Colorado.[1][2][3]

Hanging

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1876 – 1889

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Name Race Age Date of execution County Crime Victim(s) Governor
James Miller Mixed[a] 23 February 2, 1877 Bent Murder James Sutherland, white[4] John Long Routt
Victor Nunez Hispanic 57 March 14, 1879 Arapahoe Murder Luis Rascone, Hispanic[5] Frederick Walker Pitkin
Cicero Simms White 19 July 23, 1880 Park Murder John Johnson, white[6]
W. H. Salisbury White 33 July 17, 1881 El Paso[b] Murder Thomas L. Perkins, white[7]
Merrick Rosengrants White July 29, 1881 Lake Murder-Burglary John Langmeyer, white[8]
Frank Gilbert White 30 Murder James McCollum, white[9]
Thomas Coleman Black 27 December 16, 1881 Gunnison Murder Albert Smith, black[10]
George Woods White 34 June 23, 1882 La Plata Murder M. G. Buchanan, white[11]
Miguel Garcia Hispanic 54 December 20, 1884 Pueblo[c] Murder-Robbery Dennis Wilkes, white[12] James Benton Grant
Charles Hibbard White April 24, 1885 Las Animas Murder-Robbery William Knowles, white[13][d] Benjamin Harrison Eaton
Marshall Clements White December 3, 1885 Saguache Murder Thomas and Susie Clements, white (brother and sister-in-law)[14]
Cyrus Minnich White 39 February 5, 1886 Lake Murder-Robbery Samuel Baldwin, white[15]
Andrew Green Black 25 July 27, 1886 Arapahoe Murder-Robbery Joseph C. Whitnah, white[16]
Nocollo Fimenello White August 25, 1888 Chaffee Murder William Casey, white[17] Alva Adams
Jose Ortez Hispanic July 16, 1889 Conejos Murder-Robbery C. E. LeDuc, white[18] Job Adams Cooper

1890 – 1933

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In 1890, a new law was passed which centralized executions at the state penitentiary, and forbid the press from publishing accounts of executions.[19] Rather than installing a traditional gallows, the penitentiary used a mechanized device which executed prisoners by pulling them upwards rather than by falling.[20][21] During this period, capital punishment was abolished from 1897 to 1901.

Name Race Age Date of execution County or City Crime Victim(s) Governor
Noverto Griego Hispanic November 8, 1890 Las Animas Murder-Robbery W. L. Underwood, white[22] Job Adams Cooper
James T. Joyce White 33 January 17, 1891 Arapahoe Murder John Snooks, 20, white[23][e] John Long Routt
William C. Davis Black 26 September 22, 1891 Pueblo Murder Carrie Armsby (foster mother) and James Arnold, mixed and white[24][f]
Charles Smith Black 30 December 14, 1891 Huerfano Murder Taylor Sillman, black (girlfriend's husband)[25][26]
Thomas Lawton White 24 May 6, 1892 El Paso Murder-Robbery John A. Hemming, white[27]
Thomas Jordan White 29 May 11, 1895 Arapahoe Murder August Sisin, white[28] Albert McIntire
Peter Augusta White 47 Murder Harry Sullivan, white[29]
Abe Taylor White 32 December 13, 1895 Conejos Murder Charles H. Emerson, white (police officer)[30]
Benjamin Ratcliff White February 7, 1896 Chaffee Murder Three people, white[31][g]
William Holt White 21 June 26, 1896 Las Animas Murder John Solomon, white (police officer)[32]
Albert Noble White
Deonecio Romero Hispanic
Azel Galbraith White March 6, 1905 Gilpin Murder Female and male, 8 (male), white (wife and son)[33] Alva Adams
Fred Arnold White 20 June 16, 1905 City of Denver Murder-Robbery Amanda Youngblood, 63, white[34] Jesse Fuller McDonald
Newton Andrews White 21
Joseph Johnson White September 13, 1905 Las Animas Murder John H. Fox, white[35]
John McGarvey White 25 January 12, 1907 Mesa Murder Edward Innes, 28, white (jailer)[36] Henry Augustus Buchtel
Giuseppe Alia White 56 July 15, 1908 City of Denver Murder Leo Heinrichs, 40, white[37]
James Lynn Black 50 October 8, 1908 Pueblo Murder Sarah James, 16, white[38]
Lewis Wechter White 29 August 31, 1912 City of Denver Murder-Robbery W. Clifford Burrowes, white[39] John F. Shafroth
Harry E. Hillen White 24 June 24, 1915 City of Denver Murder-Robbery Thomas Chase, white[40] George Alfred Carlson
George Quinn White 31 January 28, 1916 City of Denver Murder William Herbertson, 36, white (girlfriend's husband)[41]
Oscar Cook White February 26, 1916 City of Denver Murder-Robbery Andrew J. Loyd and William McPherson (police officer), white[42]
George Bosko White 29 December 10, 1920 Pueblo Murder-Robbery Elton C. Parks and William T. Hunter, white[43] Oliver Henry Shoup
Daniel Borich Middle Eastern 51 August 18, 1922 Routt Murder Milla Borich (wife) and Joseph Kezele, Middle Eastern and white[44]
Joe McGonigal White 42 April 26, 1924 Las Animas Murder Ella Centers (girlfriend) and Wilbur N. Ferguson, white[45] William Ellery Sweet
Ray F. Shank White 56 September 18, 1926 City of Denver Murder Marion and Paul Shank, 19 (Paul), white (wife and son)[46] Clarence Morley
Antonio Casias Hispanic November 12, 1926 Rio Grande Murder Carmen Barela, Hispanic[47]
Arthur Osborn White 22 March 30, 1928 Grand Murder-Robbery Fred N. Selak, 65, white[48] Billy Adams
Jasper R. Noakes White 20
Edward Ives White 44 January 10, 1930 City of Denver Murder Harry R. Ohle, white (police officer)[49]
Harold I. Weiss White 26 May 28, 1930 City of Denver Murder Female, white (wife)[50]
Ralph E. Fleagle White July 10, 1930 Prowers Murder-Robbery A. N. Parrish, white[51][52][h]
Howard L. Royston White July 18, 1930
George J. Abshier White
Amalio Herrera Hispanic 21 August 20, 1930 City of Denver Murder Maria Herrera, Hispanic (wife)[53]
William Moya Hispanic 30 December 12, 1930 City of Denver Murder-Robbery Joseph Zemp, 80, white[54]
Claude Ray White 25 January 30, 1931 Kiowa Murder Coral A. Hickman, white (deputy sheriff)[55]
John Walker White 42
Andrew Halliday White 23
James V. Foster White 49 December 11, 1931 Weld Murder Four people, white[56][i]
E. J. Farmer White March 18, 1932 Moffat Murder Earl Hopkins, white[57][j]
Joe Meastas Mixed[k] 25 May 27, 1932 Costilla Murder Benjamin Addis, white[58]
Nelwelt Moss Black 20 March 10, 1933 Gunnison Murder Rena Schierenback, 79, white[59] Edwin C. Johnson
Walter Jones White 23 December 1, 1933 Mesa Murder-Robbery Hartford Johnson, 35, white[60]

Gas asphyxiation

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In 1933, Colorado officially replaced hanging with gas asphyxiation, with the state constructing its new gas chamber at the state penitentiary by January 1934.[61][62][63]

Name Race Age Date of execution County or City Crime Victim(s) Governor
William C. Kelly White 30 June 22, 1934 Delta Murder-Robbery Russell Downing, 53, white[64] Edwin C. Johnson
Louis Pacheco Hispanic 37 May 31, 1935 Weld Murder Robert Griffin, 16, white[65]
John Pacheco Hispanic 24
Leonard Belongia White 24 June 21, 1935 Weld Murder Albert E. Oesterick, white[66]
Otis McDaniel White 31 February 14, 1936 San Miguel[l] Murder W. W. Dunlap, white (deputy sheriff)[67]
Frank Aguilar Hispanic 34 August 13, 1937 Pueblo Murder-Rape Dorothy Drain, 15, white[68][69][m][n] Teller Ammons
Joe Arridy Middle Eastern 23 January 6, 1939
Pete Catalina White 41 September 29, 1939 Chaffee Murder John Trujillo, 23, Hispanic[70] Ralph Lawrence Carr
Angelo Agnes Black 31 City of Denver Murder Melinda Agnes, black (wife)[71]
Harry Leopold White 29 December 9, 1939 City of Denver Murder-Robbery Emil Albrecht, 61, white[72]
Joe Coates Black 63 January 10, 1941 City of Denver Murder Frank Renovato, white (detective)[73]
James Stephens White 76 June 20, 1941 Montezuma Murder Lynn Dean, white (Mancos town marshal)[74]
Martin Sukle White 38 May 22, 1942 El Paso Murder Marie Essex Sukle (wife) and Jack Russell, 23 (wife), white[75]
Donald H. Fearn White 23 October 23, 1942 Pueblo Murder-Rape-Kidnap Alice Porter, 16, white[76] John Charles Vivian
John Sullivan White 43 September 20, 1943 El Paso Murder-Rape-Burglary Carrie Winona Culbertson, white[77]
George Honda Asian October 8, 1943 City of Denver Murder Mary Honda, Asian (wife)[78]
Howard C. Potts White 41 June 22, 1945 City of Denver Murder Mary Theresa Potts, white (wife)[79]
Charles F. Silliman White 35 November 9, 1945 Arapahoe Murder Esther and Patricia Silliman, 4 (Patricia), white (wife and daughter)[80]
Frank H. Martz White 35 November 23, 1945 Arapahoe Murder-Rape-Kidnap Kathleen Ann Geist, 3, white[81]
John H. Brown Mixed[o] 50 May 23, 1947 City of Denver Murder Evelyn Smith, 27, black[82] William Lee Knous
Harold Gillette White 31 June 20, 1947 Larimer Murder Glen D. Cook, white[83]
Robert S. Battalino White 39 January 7, 1949 Jefferson Murder-Robbery-Kidnap Michael H. Randolph, white[84]
Paul F. Schneider White 24 December 16, 1949 Washington Murder-Robbery-Kidnap Frank J. Ford, 47, white[85][p]
John Berger Jr. White 34 January 26, 1951 City of Denver Murder Pauline Berger, white (wife)[86] Daniel I. J. Thornton
Besalirez Martinez Hispanic 42 September 7, 1956 Eagle Murder Perfecto Cruz, Hispanic[87] Edwin C. Johnson
John Gilbert Graham White 23 January 11, 1957 City of Denver Murder Daisie E. King, white (mother)[88][q] Stephen McNichols
LeeRoy A. Leick White 30 January 22, 1960 City of Denver Murder Evelyn Leick, white (wife)[89]
David F. Early White 28 August 11, 1961 Arapahoe Murder-Burglary Regina Knight, white[90][r]
Harold David Wooley White 36 March 9, 1962 Jefferson Murder-Robbery William Scott Wright, 37, white[91]
Walter D. Hammill White 31 May 25, 1962 City of Denver Murder[s] Lester Gordon Brown Jr., 11, white[92]
John Bizup Jr. White 26 August 14, 1964 Pueblo Murder-Robbery Roy Don Bussey, white[93] John A. Love
Luis Monge Hispanic 48 June 2, 1967[t] City of Denver Murder Leonarda Monge, Hispanic (wife)[94][u]

Lethal injection

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After the Gregg v. Georgia ruling in 1976 which restored capital punishment, Colorado replaced gas asphyxiation with lethal injection in 1988. Colorado only executed a single prisoner, Gary Lee Davis, by lethal injection. Colorado went on to abolish capital punishment in 2020.[95][96]

Name Race Age Date of execution County Crime Victim Governor
Gary Lee Davis White 53 October 13, 1997 Adams Murder-Rape-Kidnap Virginia May, 34, white Roy Romer

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ Mulatto.
  2. ↑ Change of venue from Chaffee County.
  3. ↑ Change of venue from Bent County.
  4. ↑ Also confessed to at least one other murder.
  5. ↑ Also believed to have committed a previous murder in Kentucky.
  6. ↑ Armsby was a mulatta.
  7. ↑ George Douglas Wyatt, Samuel Taylor, and L. F. McCurdy.
  8. ↑ Also later murdered Dr. W. W. Wineinger and E. A. Kissinger.
  9. ↑ His wife Myrtle and their daughters Darlene, Geraldine, and Mildred.
  10. ↑ Also murdered Joe J. Jones during the same crime.
  11. ↑ Half Mexican and half Navajo.
  12. ↑ Change of venue from Montezuma County.
  13. ↑ Aguilar had previously murdered an elderly white woman, Sally Crumpley.
  14. ↑ Arridy's conviction was highly questioned at the time, and he was granted a posthumous pardon in 2011.
  15. ↑ Half Black and half Native American.
  16. ↑ Serial killer, later murdered James R. Hall and Donald Dussean (21 and 28, white) near Detroit.
  17. ↑ 43 other people were murdered during the crime, the bombing of United Air Lines Flight 629.
  18. ↑ Also murdered Regina's husband Merrill and their 15-year-old daughter Karen during the same crime.
  19. ↑ Victim sexually assaulted before being murdered.
  20. ↑ Last execution in the United States before Furman v. Georgia.
  21. ↑ Also murdered three of their children, Alan (6), Vincent (4), and Teresa (11 months).

References

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  1. ↑ "Executions in Colorado - 1859-1967 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved 2026-03-26.
  2. ↑ Procedures, United States Congress Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Laws and (1970). To Abolish the Death Penalty: Hearings, Ninetieth Congress, Second Session, on S. 1760... March 20, 21, and July 2, 1968. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  3. ↑ Radelet, Michael (2017-01-15). The History of the Death Penalty in Colorado. University Press of Colorado. ISBN 978-1-60732-512-3.
  4. ↑ James Miller, 1877 February 2
  5. ↑ Victor Nunez, CO, 1879 March 14
  6. ↑ Cicero Simms, CO, 1880 July 29
  7. ↑ W.H Salisbury, CO, 1881 June 17
  8. ↑ Merric Rosengrants, 1881 July 29
  9. ↑ Frank Gilbert, 1881 July 29
  10. ↑ Thomas Coleman, 1881 December 16
  11. ↑ George Woods, CO, 1882 June 23
  12. ↑ Miguel Garcia, CO, 1884 December 20
  13. ↑ Charles Hibbard, 1885 April 24
  14. ↑ Marshall Clements, CO, 1885 December 3
  15. ↑ Cyrus Minnich, 1886 February 5
  16. ↑ Andrew Green, CO, 1886 July 27
  17. ↑ Nocollo Fimenello, CO, 1888 August 25
  18. ↑ Jose Ortese, CO, 1889 July 16
  19. ↑ "The Colorado Law". Missoula Gazette. November 4, 1890. p. 34. Retrieved March 26, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ↑ "Self Execution". The Sunday Morning Star. September 13, 1891. p. 3. Retrieved March 26, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ↑ "Colorado Building Modern Death House". Prescott Evening Courier. February 27, 1922. p. 2. Retrieved March 26, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ Noverto Griego, CO, 1890 November 8
  23. ↑ James Joyce, CO, 1891 January 17
  24. ↑ William Davis, 1891 September 22
  25. ↑ Charles Smith, CO, 1891 December 14
  26. ↑ Smith, CO, 1891 October 17
  27. ↑ Thomas Lawton, 1892 May 6
  28. ↑ Thomas Jordan, CO, 1895 May 11
  29. ↑ Peter Augusta, CO, 1895 May 11
  30. ↑ Abe Taylor, CO, 1895 December 13
  31. ↑ Benjamin Ratcliff, CO, 1896 February 7
  32. ↑ Albert Noble, CO, 1896 June 26
  33. ↑ Azel Galbraith, CO, 1905 March 6
  34. ↑ Frederick Arnold, CO, 1905 June 16
  35. ↑ Joseph Johnson, CO, 1905 September 13
  36. ↑ John McGarvey, 1907 January 12
  37. ↑ Guiseppe Alia, 1908 July 15
  38. ↑ James Lynn, 1908 October 8
  39. ↑ Lewis Wechter, 1912 August 31
  40. ↑ Harry Hillen, CO, 1915 June 24
  41. ↑ George Quinn, CO, 1916 January 28
  42. ↑ Oscar Cook, CO, 1916 February 26
  43. ↑ George Bosko, 1920 December 10
  44. ↑ Daniel Borich, CO, 1922 August 18
  45. ↑ Joe McGonigal, 1924 April 26
  46. ↑ Ray Shank, CO, 1926 September 18
  47. ↑ Antonio Casias, CO, 1926 November 12
  48. ↑ Arthur Osborn, Jasper Noakes, 1928 March 30
  49. ↑ Edward Ives, 1930 January 10
  50. ↑ Harold Weiss, CO, 1930 May 28
  51. ↑ Ralph Fleagle, 1930 July 10
  52. ↑ Howard Royston, George Abshier, 1930 July 18
  53. ↑ Amalio Herrera, CO, 1930 August 20
  54. ↑ William Moya, 1930 December 12
  55. ↑ Andrew Halliday, CO, 1931 January 30
  56. ↑ James Foster, 1931 December 11
  57. ↑ E.J. Farmer, CO, 1932 March 18
  58. ↑ Joe Meastas, 1932 May 27
  59. ↑ Nelwelt Moss, 1933 March 10
  60. ↑ Walter Jones, 1933 December 1
  61. ↑ "Boy, 18, May Be First To Die In Colorado's Gas Chamber". The Pittsburgh Press. August 18, 1933. p. 27. Retrieved March 28, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  62. ↑ "'Torture' Gallows Claim Last Life". The Pittsburgh Press. December 2, 1933. p. 3. Retrieved March 28, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  63. ↑ "Colorado's New Death Chamber". Lewiston Morning Tribune. January 13, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved March 28, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  64. ↑ William Kelly, 1934 June 22
  65. ↑ Louis Pacheco, 1935 May 31
  66. ↑ Leonard Belongia, 1935 June 21
  67. ↑ Otis McDaniel, CO, 1936 February 14
  68. ↑ Frank Aguilar, 1937 August 13
  69. ↑ Joe Arridy, 1939 January 6
  70. ↑ Pete Catalina, CO, 1939 September 29
  71. ↑ Angelo Agnes, CO, 1939 September 29
  72. ↑ Harry Leopold, 1939 December 9
  73. ↑ Joe Coates, CO, 1941 January 10
  74. ↑ James Stephens, CO, 1941 June 20
  75. ↑ Martin Sukle, 1942 May 22
  76. ↑ Donald Fearn, 1942 October 23
  77. ↑ John Sullivan, 1943 September 20
  78. ↑ George Honda, CO, 1943 October 8
  79. ↑ Howard Potts, 1945 June 22
  80. ↑ Charles Silliman, 1945 November 9
  81. ↑ Frank Martz, CO, 1945 November 23
  82. ↑ John Brown, CO, 1947 May 23
  83. ↑ Harold Gillette, CO, 1947 June 20
  84. ↑ Robert Battalino, CO, 1949 January 7
  85. ↑ Paul Schneider, 1949 December 16
  86. ↑ John Jr. Berger, CO, 1951 October 26
  87. ↑ Besalirez Martinez, CO, 1956 September 7
  88. ↑ John Graham, 1957 January 11
  89. ↑ Lee Roy Leick, 1960 January 22
  90. ↑ David Early, 1961 August 11
  91. ↑ David Wooley, 1962 March 9
  92. ↑ Walter Hammill, 1962 May 25
  93. ↑ John Bizup, 1964 August 14
  94. ↑ Luis Monge, CO, 1967 June 2
  95. ↑ Rafe, Mo (2018-02-27). "Understanding the Death Penalty in Colorado". Steven Louth Law Offices. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
  96. ↑ "Colorado abolishes the death penalty". NBC News. 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
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