The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Idaho since capital punishment was resumed in 1976.
Three men have been executed for murder since the Gregg v. Georgia decision; all three were executed by lethal injection at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, east of Kuna. Wells' execution in early 1994 was the first in the state in over 36 years, when Raymond Snowden was hanged in October 1957; the next was over 17 years later (November 2011).
List of people executed in Idaho since 1976
| No. | Name | Race | Age | Sex | Date of execution | County | Method | Victim(s) | Governor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keith Eugene Wells | White | 31 | M | January 6, 1994 | Ada | Lethal injection | John Justad and Brandi Rains | Cecil Andrus |
| 2 | Paul Ezra Rhoades | White | 54 | M | November 18, 2011 | Bingham and Bonneville | Stacy Baldwin, Nolan Haddon, and Susan Michelbacher | Butch Otter | |
| 3 | Richard Albert Leavitt | White | 53 | M | June 12, 2012 | Bingham | Danette Jean Elg |
Demographics
| Race | ||
|---|---|---|
| White | 3 | 100% |
| Age | ||
| 20–29 | 0 | 0% |
| 30–39 | 1 | 33% |
| 40–49 | 0 | 0% |
| 50–59 | 2 | 67% |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 3 | 100% |
| Date of execution | ||
| 1976–1979 | 0 | 0% |
| 1980–1989 | 0 | 0% |
| 1990–1999 | 1 | 33% |
| 2000–2009 | 0 | 0% |
| 2010–2019 | 2 | 67% |
| 2020–2029 | 0 | 0% |
| Method | ||
| Lethal injection | 3 | 100% |
| Governor (Party) | ||
| Cecil Andrus (D) | 1 | 33% |
| John Evans (D) | 0 | 0% |
| Phil Batt (R) | 0 | 0% |
| Dirk Kempthorne (R) | 0 | 0% |
| Jim Risch (R) | 0 | 0% |
| Butch Otter (R) | 2 | 67% |
| Brad Little (R) | 0 | 0% |
| Total | 3 | 100% |
Prior executions
Previous executions in Idaho were by hanging at the Old Idaho State Penitentiary, east of downtown Boise. The last six were:
- 1957 – Raymond Snowden (age 35), October 18
- 1951 – Ernest Walrath (20) and Troy Powell (21), April 13
- 1926 – John Jurko (41), July 9
- 1924 – Noah Arnold (32), December 19
- 1909 – Fred Seward (28), May 7
- Source:
See also
References
- "Execution Database | Death Penalty Information Center". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- Morrissey, David (December 19, 1976). "11 have swung on Idaho's gallows – and 2 to go". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). (Idaho State Journal). p. 5A.
- "Old Idaho Penitentiary FAQ - How many executions occurred at the Idaho State Penitentiary?". Idaho State Historical Society. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- "Snowden hanged for knife slaying". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 18, 1957. p. 1.
- "Snowden's body set for burial in state penitentiary cemetery". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. October 19, 1957. p. 1.
- "Youthful slayer goes to gallows". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 13, 1951. p. 29.
- "Two youths die on Idaho gallows". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. April 13, 1951. p. 7.
- "Former Bend youth hanged in Idaho today for part he played in murder of grocer". Bend Bulletin. (Oregon). United Press. April 13, 1951. p. 1.
- "North Idaho slayer hanged". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 19, 1924. p. 1.
- "Seward executed at Boise". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). May 8, 1909. p. 1.