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

Number Name Age Race Sex Occupation Crime Date Method County Notes
1 Nepauduck — Native American Male — Murder January 30, 1639 Beheading New Haven
2 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
3 ['Alse' Young, Alice Young] — White Female — Witchcraft May 26, 1647 Hanging Hartford
4 Johnson, Mary — White Female Servant Witchcraft 1649 Hanging —
5 Carrington, Sr, John 37 White Male Carpenter Witchcraft March 1651 Hanging Hartford
5 Carrington, Joan — White Female Housewife Witchcraft March 1651 Hanging Hartford
5 Bassett (Holland), Margery "Goody" — White Female Housewife Witchcraft 1651 Hanging Fairfield
6 Knapp, Elizabeth — White Female Housewife Witchcraft 1653 Hanging Fairfield
7 Walter Robinson 15 White Male — Sodomy March 1655 Hanging New Haven
8 John Knight — White Male — Sodomy June 1655 Hanging New Haven
9 Greensmith, Nathaniel — White Male — Witchcraft January 1663 Hanging Hartford Note 1
10 Greensmith, Rebecca — White Female Housewife Witchcraft January 1663 Hanging Hartford Note 1
11 Barnes, Mary 36 White Female Housewife Witchcraft (exonerated 2023)[2] February 24, 1663 Hanging Hartford
12 Potter, William — White Male — Sodomy June 6, 1662 Hanging New Haven
13 — — Native American Male — Murder 1700 Hanging New Haven Note 2
14 — — Native American Male — Murder 1700 Hanging New Haven Note 2
15 — — Native American Male — Murder 1700 Hanging New Haven Note 2
16 Garrett, Catherine 27 Native American Female Servant Murder May 3, 1738 Hanging New London
17 Bramble, Sarah — White Female — Murder November 21, 1753 Hanging New London
18 Frazier, Isaac — — Male — Burglary September 1768 Hanging New Haven
19 Jacobs, John — Native American Male — Murder November 2, 1768 Hanging Litchfield
20 Paul, Moses — Native American Male Drifter Murder September 2, 1772 Hanging New Haven
21 Dunbar, Moses 30 White Male Farmer Treason March 19, 1777 Hanging Hartford
22 Griswold — White Male — Treason 1778 Hanging New Haven
23 Davenport, Barnet 20 White Male Servant Murder May 8, 1780 Hanging Litchfield
24 Ocuish, Hannah 12 Native American Female — Murder December 20, 1786 Hanging New London
25 Mountain, Joseph 33 Black Male — Rape January 20, 1790 Hanging New Haven
26 Doane, Richard — White Male — Murder June 10, 1797 Hanging Hartford
27 Starr, Thomas — White Male — Murder June 14, 1797 Hanging Middlesex
28 Anthony — Black Male Freedman Rape November 8, 1798 Hanging Fairfield
29 Adams, Caleb 18 White Male Laborer Murder November 29, 1803 Hanging Windham
30 Freeman, Samuel 25 Black Male — Murder November 6, 1805 Hanging Windham
31 Niles, Henry — Native American Male — Murder November 4, 1807 Hanging New London
32 Babcock, Miner — White Male — Murder June 6, 1816 Hanging New London
33 Lung, Peter — White Male — Murder June 20, 1816 Hanging Middlesex
34 Adams, Amos 28 Black Male — Rape November 30, 1817 Hanging Fairfield
** Bailey, Adonijah 79 — Male — Murder 1824 Hanging Windham Note 3
35 Washington, George — Native American Male — Murder June 1, 1824 Hanging Tolland
36 Watkins, Oliver — White Male — Murder August 2, 1831 Hanging Windham
37 Teller, William 28 White Male Convict Murder September 6, 1833 Hanging Hartford Note 1
38 Reynolds, Caesar 30 White Male Convict Murder September 6, 1833 Hanging Hartford Note 1
39 Sherman — — Male — Murder June 13, 1834 Hanging New London
40 Potter, Andrew — White Male — Murder July 20, 1846 Hanging New Haven
41 Foote, Henry — White Male — Murder January 2, 1850 Hanging New Haven Note 1
42 McCaffrey, James — White Male — Murder January 2, 1850 Hanging New Haven Note 1
43 Jennings, Michael 18 White Male — Murder July 11, 1854 Hanging New Haven
44 Toole, Gerald — — Male Convict Murder 1862 Hanging Hartford
45 Starkweather, Albert 25 White Male Farmer Murder August 17, 1866 Hanging Hartford
46 Wilson, James 47 White Male Convict Murder January 13, 1871 Hanging Hartford
47 Hamlin, Henry — White Male Convict Murder May 28, 1880 Hanging Hartford
48 Smith, James "Chip" — White Male — Murder September 1, 1882 Hanging New Haven
49 Palladoni, Phillip — White Male — Murder January 5, 1888 Hanging Fairfield
50 Swift, John — White Male Piano player Murder April 18, 1889 Hanging Hartford
51 Scheele, Jacob — White Male Saloon keeper Murder June 18, 1891 Hanging Fairfield
52 Borjensen, Andrew — White Male Laborer Murder January 29, 1892 Hanging Litchfield
53 Petrillo, Angelo — White Male — Murder November 14, 1892 Hanging New Haven
54 Cronin, John 38 White Male — Murder December 18, 1894 Hanging Hartford
55 Hartlein, Kaspar 40 White Male — Murder December 13, 1896 Hanging Hartford
56 Kippie, Thomas F. 42 White Male — Murder July 14, 1897 Hanging New Haven
57 Fuda, Giuseppe 31 White Male Laborer Murder December 3, 1897 Hanging Fairfield
58 Imposino, Nicodemo 22 White Male Laborer Murder December 17, 1897 Hanging Fairfield
59 Boinay, Charles A. 34 White Male Wire weaver Murder April 14, 1898 Hanging Fairfield
59 Willis, Benjamin R. 21 White Male — Murder December 30, 1898 Hanging Fairfield
60 Brockhaus, Frederick M. 21 White Male Criminal Murder September 6, 1899 Hanging Fairfield
61 Cross, Charles B. 18 White Male Farmhand Murder July 20, 1900 Hanging Fairfield
62 Misik, Paul 34 White Male — Murder February 11, 1904 Hanging Hartford
63 Watson, Joseph 18 Black Male Valet Murder November 17, 1904 Hanging Hartford
64 Marx, Gershon 73 White Male Farmer Murder May 18, 1905 Hanging New London
65 Sherouk, Ephriam 24 White Male Laborer Murder January 9, 1906 Hanging Tolland
66 Bailey, Henry G. 40 White Male Farmhand Murder April 16, 1907 Hanging Middlesex
67 Herman, Alexander 26 White Male — Murder May 10, 1907 Hanging Fairfield
68 Washelesky, John 32 White Male — Murder July 1, 1908 Hanging New Haven
69 Rossi, Lorenzo 31 White Male — Murder July 24, 1908 Hanging Hartford
70 Zett, John 48 White Male — Murder December 21, 1908 Hanging Tolland
71 Campagnolo, Giuseppe 28 White Male — Murder February 24, 1909 Hanging New Haven Note 1
72 Carfaro, Raffaele 19 White Male — Murder February 24, 1909 Hanging New Haven Note 1
73 Zawedzianczek, John 28 White Male — Murder February 9, 1910 Hanging Hartford
74 Tanganelli, Andrea 26 White Male — Murder March 29, 1912 Hanging New Haven
75 Redding, George, Jr. 21 White Male Produce clerk Murder November 1, 1912 Hanging New Haven
76 Saxon, Louis 29 White Male — Murder July 27, 1913 Hanging Hartford
77 Plew, James 48 White Male Farmhand Murder March 4, 1914 Hanging New Haven
78 Rikteraitis, Matijins 29 White Male — Murder May 8, 1914 Hanging New Haven
79 Buonomo, Joseph 24 White Male Criminal Murder June 30, 1914 Hanging Fairfield
80 Bergeron, Joseph 40 White Male — Murder August 11, 1914 Hanging New Haven
81 Montvid, Bernard 23 White Male — Murder August 6, 1915 Hanging Hartford
82 Grela, Frank 41 White Male — Murder August 13, 1915 Hanging Hartford
83 Roe, Harry 22 White Male — Murder March 3, 1916 Hanging Hartford[3] Note 1
84 Williams, Isaac 30 White Male — Murder March 3, 1916 Hanging Hartford[3] Note 1
85 Zuppa, Pasquale 28 White Male — Murder March 10, 1916 Hanging New Haven
86 Vetere, Francisco 25 White Male Entertainer Murder October 5, 1917 Hanging New Haven Note 1
87 Castelli, Joseph 24 White Male — Murder October 5, 1917 Hanging New Haven Note 1
88 Buglione, Stephen 20 White Male — Murder November 16, 1917 Hanging Hartford Note 1
89 Donvanso, Giovanni 21 White Male — Murder November 16, 1917 Hanging Hartford Note 1
90 Wise, William 23 White Male — Murder December 14, 1917 Hanging Hartford
91 Dusso, Frank 25 White Male Longshoreman Murder June 17, 1918 Hanging New Haven Note 2
92 Pisaniello, Carmine 21 White Male — Murder June 17, 1918 Hanging New Haven Note 2
93 Lanzillo, Carmine 24 White Male Laborer Murder June 17, 1918 Hanging New Haven Note 2
94 Perretta, Erasmo 28 White Male — Murder June 27, 1919 Hanging Hartford Note 1
95 Perretta, Joseph 33 White Male — Murder June 27, 1919 Hanging Hartford Note 1
96 Nechesnook, Nikifor 28 White Male — Murder December 3, 1919 Hanging New Haven
97 Cerrone, Daniel 31 White Male — Murder March 5, 1920 Hanging New Haven
98 Wade, Elwood 24 White Male — Murder May 20, 1921 Hanging Fairfield
99 Kaurawskas, John 36 White Male Laborer Murder May 27, 1921 Hanging New Haven
100 Schutte, Emil 55 White Male Merchant Murder October 24, 1922 Hanging Middlesex
101 Chapman, Gerald 35 White Male Gangster Murder April 6, 1926 Hanging Hartford
102 Wing, Soo Hoo 19 Asian Male — Murder November 8, 1927 Hanging Hartford Note 1
103 Lung, Chin 33 Asian Male — Murder November 8, 1927 Hanging Hartford Note 1
104 Feltovic, John 19 White Male — Murder December 10, 1929 Hanging Fairfield
105 Dibattista, Frank 26 White Male — Murder February 21, 1930 Hanging Hartford
106 Lorenzo, Henry 26 White Male — Murder August 12, 1930 Hanging Hartford
107 Simborski, John 30 White Male — Murder April 7, 1936 Hanging New Haven
108 McElroy, James 45 White Male Steamfitter Murder February 10, 1937 Electrocution New Haven
109 Palka, Frank 26 White Male [mechanic] Murder April 12, 1938 Electrocution Fairfield
110 Weaver, Ira 36 White Male Handyman Murder April 29, 1940 Electrocution Middlesex Note 1
111 Cots, Vincent 32 White Male Mechanic Murder April 29, 1940 Electrocution Middlesex Note 1
112 Gurski, Peter 28 White Male — Murder February 23, 1943 Electrocution Litchfield
113 Funderburk, Wilson 38 Black Male — Murder April 20, 1943 Electrocution Hartford
114 Decaro, Carlo 20 White Male Factory worker Murder May 3, 1944 Electrocution Hartford
115 Rossi, Nicholas 33 White Male — Murder June 18, 1945 Electrocution Hartford
116 Lewie, Raymond 19 White Male Convict Murder October 1, 1946 Electrocution Hartford Note 2
117 Tommaselli, Arthur 25 White Male Convict Murder October 1, 1946 Electrocution Hartford Note 2
118 McCarthy, James 21 White Male Convict Murder October 1, 1946 Electrocution Hartford Note 2
119 Bradley, Robert 38 Black Male Trash collector Murder April 12, 1948 Electrocution New Haven
120 Lorain, William 34 White Male — Murder July 11, 1955 Electrocution Hartford
121 Malm, Robert 32 White Male Dishwasher Murder July 18, 1955 Electrocution Hartford Note 1
122 Donahue, John 22 White Male Parolee Murder July 18, 1955 Electrocution Fairfield Note 1
123 Davies, George 41 White Male Machine tool operator Murder September 20, 1959 Electrocution New Haven
124 Wojculewicz, Frank 42 White Male Gangster Murder October 26, 1959 Electrocution Hartford
125 Taborsky, Joseph L. 36 White Male Gangster Murder May 17, 1960 Electrocution Hartford
126 Ross, Michael B. 45 White Male Insurance salesman Murder May 13, 2005 Lethal injection Tolland
Average Age: 30.44

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 7%
20 to 29 39 31%
30 to 39 25 20%
40 to 49 12 10%
50 and above 2 2%
Unknown 39 31%
Race Frequency Percent
White 104 83%
Native American 10 8%
Black 7 6%
Asian 2 2%
Unknown 3 2%
Sex Frequency Percent
Male 117 93%
Female[8] 9 7%
Crime Frequency Percent
Murder 109 87%
Witchcraft 7 6%
Sodomy 4 3%
Rape 3 2%
Treason 2 2%
Burglary 1 1%
Date Frequency Percent
1600 to 1699 12 10%
1700 to 1799 16 13%
1800 to 1899 32 25%
1900 to 1999 65 52%
2000 to present 1 1%
Method Frequency Percent
Hanging 107 85%
Electrocution 18 14%
Lethal injection 1 1%
County Frequency Percent
Hartford 42 33%
New Haven 39 31%
Fairfield 18 14%
New London 8 6%
Litchfield 6 5%
Middlesex 6 5%
Windham 3 2%
Tolland 3 2%
Unknown 1 1%
Total: 126 Executions

See also

References

  1. ^ "Connecticut governor signs death penalty repeal". CBS News. April 25, 2012.
  2. ^ "Connecticut confronted as originator of New England witch trials". 2 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b "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 2012-10-14. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
  5. ^ "The Telescope". 1824.
  6. ^ "[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----CONN., ALA., MISS., KY., USA".
  7. ^ Goodheart, Lawrence B. (2011-01-01). 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