List of people executed in New Mexico

A total of 103 executions have been recorded in New Mexico: four during the Spanish Colonial era (1598–1821), none during the Mexican era (1821–1846), 51 during the Territorial era (1846–1913), 20 by the U.S. Military during the Taos Rebellion (1847), 27 between 1913 and 1960, when the death penalty was removed except for the murder of a police officer, and one since 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated; it remained until March 18, 2009, when Governor Bill Richardson signed a bill abolishing capital punishment into law after many struggles with the issues in previous weeks. Following this repeal, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White began a campaign to repeal the repeal by referendum.

Ninety-four of the executions were by hanging, seven by electrocution, one by the gas chamber, and one by lethal injection. Two of the hanged, "Black Jack" Ketchum in 1901 and Lucius Hightower in 1916, were accidentally decapitated by the noose due to their weight. The death sentences of five convicts were commuted by Governor Toney Anaya in 1986, on the eve of Thanksgiving.

The following is a list of the 28 executions carried out by the state of New Mexico since 1912.

# Executed person Date of execution Method Murder victim Under Governor
1 Ivory Frazer April 25, 1913, 4:52 AM Hanging A deputy sheriff (name unknown), Al Smithers William C. McDonald
2 Francisco Granado April 25, 1913, 4:52 AM Hanging William S. Clark
3 Demecio Delgadillo May 16, 1913, 5:09 AM Hanging Soledad Zarrazino de Pino
4 Francisco Alvarez June 9, 1916 Hanging 24 people in the raid led by Pancho Villa on Columbus, New Mexico
5 Juan Sanchez June 9, 1916 Hanging
6 Taurino Garcia June 30, 1916 Hanging
7 Eusiero Renteria June 30, 1916 Hanging
8 Juan Castillo June 30, 1916 Hanging
9 Jose Rangel June 30, 1916 Hanging
10 Lucius Hightower November 13, 1916 Hanging Mrs. Hightower
11 Julian Romero April 11, 1918 Hanging Maria Varela de Jaure Washington E. Lindsey
12 Elbert Blancett July 20, 1920 Hanging Clyde D. Amour Octaviano Larrazolo
13 Eleuterio Corral January 20, 1922 Hanging Ventura Bencomo Merritt C. Mechem
14 Rumaldo Losano January 20, 1922 Hanging Ventura Bencomo
15 Luis Medrano July 28, 1922 Hanging Anton Coury
16 Ysidero Miranda July 28, 1922 Hanging
17 Carlos Renteria July 28, 1922 Hanging
18 Steve Katonka October 20, 1922 Hanging William Kelly, Sam Groy
19 Franciso Vaisa April 6, 1923, 5:30 AM Hanging Anton Coury James F. Hinkle
20 Thomas Johnson July 21, 1933, 12:38 AM Electrocution Angelina Jaramillo Arthur Seligman
21 Santiago Garduno July 21, 1933, 1:12 AM Electrocution Filemon Martinez
22 Pedro Talamante May 10, 1946, 12:10 AM Electrocution Mrs. Talamante John J. Dempsey
23 Louis Young June 13, 1947, 12:07 AM Electrocution Eloise Kennedy Thomas J. Mabry
24 Arthur Fay Johnson February 19, 1954, 12:09 AM Electrocution William Cabrel Edwin L. Mechem
25 Frederick W. Heisler October 29, 1954, 12:15 AM Electrocution John Gunnish
26 James Larry Upton February 12, 1956, 12:09 AM Electrocution Donald Dilley John F. Simms
27 David Cooper Nelson August 11, 1960, 12:20 AM Gas Chamber Ralph Henderson Rainey John Burroughs
28 Terry D. Clark November 6, 2001, 7:10 PM Lethal injection Dena Lynn Gore Gary Johnson

See also

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