Famous American Criminals Who Were Executed
- Photo: Florida Department of Corrections / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
In 1991, Aileen Wuornos made headline news when she was arrested for killing at least six men who she claimed had tried to rape her.
Her self-defense excuse didn't work, and she was sentenced to death by lethal injection. She was executed in 2002.
More Aileen Wuornos
- Dig Deeper...Haunting Stories From Aileen Wuornos's Traumatic Childhood
- And Deeper...The Horribly Messed Up Life And Crimes Of Aileen Wuornos
- #58 of 61 onThe Scariest Serial Killers In History
Frank Abbandando, AKA the Dasher, was a member of Murder, Inc., a gang of thugs who created chaos in New York in the 1930s. Abbandando was a contract killer for the powerful gang and was convinced his connections would lead to a not-guilty verdict.
However, he was found guilty and was executed in 1942.
- Photo: White House Photographer / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Famous for his reputation of dressing up like a clown for fundraisers and children events, John Wayne Gacy killed and sexually assaulted at least 33 young men between 1972 and 1978.
He was sentenced to death for 12 of his murders and spent 14 years on death row. On May 10, 1994, he was executed by lethal injection.
More John Wayne Gacy- Dig Deeper...Inside John Wayne Gacy's Dark Childhood
- #9 of 15 onThe Most Elaborate Final Meals In Death Row History
- #3 of 61 onThe Scariest Serial Killers In History
Gary Gilmore had a history violent crimes throughout his life, but it was a gas station stick-up that led to his demise. He killed a gas station attendant and later a motel manager while robbing them. He was caught but only charged with the first murder.
While on death row, he tried to kill himself twice and was finally executed on January 17, 1977, by firing squad.
- Photo: Donn Dughi / State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
As one of the most notorious serial killers in American history, Ted Bundy horrified people by kidnapping, raping, and murdering at least 30 victims.
His crimes were committed between 1974 and 1978. He was executed on January 24, 1989.
- Photo: California Prison / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Robert Alton Harris killed two teenage boys in 1978 in order to steal their car and to rob a bank. He stole $2,000 from the bank but was arrested soon after. One of the arresting officers was the father of one of the murdered boys.
He was executed on April 21, 1992, after misquoting Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.
More Robert Alton Harris- #7 of 15 onThe Most Elaborate Final Meals In Death Row History
- #35 of 71 onWho Is The Most Famous Harris In The World?
- #26 of 73 onFamous Inmates at San Quentin State Prison
John Louis Evans
John Louis Evans was just out of prison when he and his buddy went on a crime spree that consisted of over 30 armed robberies, nine kidnappings, and two extortion schemes. In 1977, he killed a pawn shop owner and was caught soon after.
His execution was particularly gruesome, as Alabama used a faulty electric chair, which took multiple tries to finally kill him.
When Jason Fairbanks was rejected by Elizabeth Fales, he stabbed her 11 times and claimed she had committed suicide. However, one of her stab wounds was in the back, so Fairbanks was convicted and sentenced to death.
Shortly before his execution, he escaped from prison and tried to make it to Canada, but was soon caught and hanged.
- Photo: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Barbara Graham, AKA Bloody Babs, was arrested for the murder of Mabel Monohan when she and her accomplices tried to rob her.
On June 3, 1955, she was executed after stating her last words: "Good people are always so sure they're right."
More Barbara Graham- #60 of 80 onWho Is The Most Famous Barbara In The World?
- #68 of 79 onWho Is The Most Famous Graham In The World?
- #35 of 73 onFamous Inmates at San Quentin State Prison
Jerry White
While robbing a grocery story, Jerry White killed a shopper, James Melson.
He was executed by electric chair in Florida on December 4, 1995.
- Photo: Unknown author / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Hamilton Howard "Albert" Fish went by many names during his history as a serial killer, including the Gray Man and the Moon Maniac. He was a cannibal, child rapist, and murderer, confessing to hundreds of crimes during his lifetime.
He was executed via electric chair on January 16, 1936.
More Albert Fish- #7 of 19 onThe Creepiest Wikipedia Pages
- #1 of 61 onThe Scariest Serial Killers In History
- #13 of 44 onThe Best Fish Things That Are Not Really Fish
- Photo: Florida Department of Corrections / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Paul Jennings Hill killed Dr. John Britton and Britton's bodyguard, James Barrett, since he didn't approve of Britton, who was an abortion doctor. Hill had previously been a minister.
He was sentenced to death and was executed on September 3, 2003, by lethal injection.
- Photo: Alexander Gardner / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
George Atzerodt was one of the many conspirators who assisted John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He was supposed to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson, but his nerves failed him.
Still, he was executed in 1865 by hanging.
- Photo: Alexander Gardner / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
David Herold was another accomplice of John Wilkes Booth in his quest to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and other top officials.
He surrendered to troops when he and Booth were surrounded. He was sentenced to death by hanging in 1865.
- Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Mary Surratt was another accomplice of John Wilkes Booth in Abraham Lincoln's assassination. She was the first woman executed by the US government.
Her son was also connected to the assassination, but he was not convicted.
- Photo: Alexander Gardner / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Lewis Powell was part of the conspiracy to kill Abraham Lincoln. He attempted to assassinate US Secretary of State William H. Seward, but failed.
He was executed by hanging on July 7, 1865.
- Photo: Sculptor MacMonnies; photo by Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Nathan Hale is most famous for his final words, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
During the American Revolution, he was executed for spying on the British and was hanged on September 22, 1776.
- Photo: Roger Higgins, photographer from "New York World-Telegram and the Sun" / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg earned their place in history when they allegedly passed information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union during WWII.
They were charged with espionage and sentenced to death. They were both executed by electric chair on June 19, 1953.
- Photo: FBI Lab forensic artist / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people and injured many more when he bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
He was executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001.
More Timothy McVeigh- Dig Deeper...335+ Famous Taurus Historical Figures
- #14 of 15 onThe Most Elaborate Final Meals In Death Row History
- #2621 of 3,182 onThe Most Influential People Of All Time
- Photo: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California, United States / Wikipedia / Fair Use
Manny Babbit may have been a Marine veteran, but that didn't stop him from murdering a 78-year-old woman while robbing her home. His legal defense was that he had post traumatic stress disorder, but he was still executed on May 4, 1999.
While on death row, he earned a Purple Heart medal.
Charles Campbell
Charles Campbell was sentenced to 40 years in prison after raping Renae Wicklund. He was released only five years later in 1981 for good behavior. His victim wasn't notified of the release.
A year later, Renae, her neighbor who had been a witness in the trial, and Renae's 8-year-old daughter were severely beaten and murdered by Campbell. He was executed on May 27, 1994.
- Photo: California Dept. of Corrections / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Stanley "Tookie" Williams was best known as the leader of the Los Angeles gang the Crips. He committed at least four murders, which led to his death sentence. While in prison, Williams became an anti-gang advocate and wrote many books for young audiences.
Many people protested his execution, since he was making a strong effort in his anti-violence campaigns, but he was still executed on December 13, 2005.
James Arcene was convicted of robbery and murder when he was just 10 years old. He was sentenced to death but escaped. When he was caught 13 years later, he was hanged.
His case is often used as an example of how Native Americans received unfair treatment from the US government.
Jack Alderman
Jack Alderman was sentenced to death for beating his wife with a crescent wrench and dumping her in a creek.
He spent 33 years on death row, the longest time in history. He was executed on September 16, 2008, by lethal injection.
Although Bruno Richard Hauptmann was originally from Germany, he committed one of the most infamous crimes in American history. He kidnapped and murdered the Lindbergh baby, which was dubbed the Crime of the Century.
He was executed on April 3, 1936, by electric chair.
Arthur Lucas
American criminal Arthur Lucas had the honor of being one of the last people to be executed in Canada. He murdered a Detroit police informant while in Toronto.
He was hanged on December 11, 1962.
Harry Pierpont made his place in history for being a mentor of notorious criminal John Dillinger. However, it was his own crime spree that ended with his death sentence.
Pierpont made multiple escape attempts. His last attempt left him so crippled that he had to be carried to the electric chair. He was executed on October 17, 1934.
- Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
William Kemmler
William Kemmler murdered his common-law wife with a hatchet. He was the first person to ever be sentenced to death by electrocution.
Although his lawyers tried to argue that it was cruel and unusual punishment, he was still electrocuted on August 6, 1890.
James Lee Clark was convicted of the robbery, rape, and murder of a 17-year-old girl in Texas. His death sentence was controversial since he was considered by many to be mentally handicapped.
The Supreme Court ruling in Atkins v. Virginia had previously called executing the mentally disabled to be cruel and unusual punishment. Nevertheless, he was executed on April 11, 2007.
- Photo: Someone in USP Terre Haute / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
Juan Garza
Juan Garza murdered three people during his tenure as a drug smuggler.
He was sentenced to death and executed on June 19, 2001.
