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 reinstate the practice by referendum. __TOC__ Ninety-four of the executions were by hanging, seven by electrocution, one by gas asphyxiation, 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. Local hangings were replaced by electrocution at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in 1929, which was then further replaced with gas asphyxiation by 1959. 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. All of those executed were men and all of them were executed for first degree murder.

Name Race Age Date of executionCounty MethodCrime Victim(s) GovernorIvory FrazerWhiteApril 25, 1913, 4:52 AMSocorroHangingMurderThomas Hall, 47, and A. L. Smithers, white (deputy sheriff and special deputy sheriff)John Gates, NM, 1913 April 25William C. McDonaldFrancisco GranadoHispanicMurder-RobberyWilliam S. Clark, whiteFrancisco Granada, NM, 1913 April 25Demecio DelgadilloHispanic32May 16, 1913, 5:09 AMBernalilloMurder-RapeSoledad Zarrazino de Pino, HispanicDemecio Delgadillo, 1913 May 16Francisco AlvarezHispanic22June 9, 1916LunaMurderCharles DeWitt Miller, 29, whiteJuan SanchezHispanic16James Todd Dean, 61, whiteTaurino GarciaHispanic21June 30, 1916LunaMurderCharles DeWitt Miller, 29, whiteEusiero RenteriaHispanic24Juan CastilloHispanic26Jose RangelHispanic23Lucius HightowerWhite50November 13, 1916GrantMurderMrs. Hightower, white (wife)Lucius Hightower, NM, 1916 November 10Julian RomeroHispanicApril 11, 1918San MiguelMurderMaria Varela de Jaure, HispanicJulian Romero, NM, 1918 April 11Washington E. LindseyElbert BlancettWhite25July 9, 1920Santa FeMurderClyde D. Amour, whiteElmer/Elbert W. Blanchett, NM, 1917 June 8Octaviano LarrazoloEleuterio CorralHispanic18January 20, 1922GrantMurderVentura Bencomo, HispanicRosalio Losano, NM, 1922 January 20Merritt C. MechemRumaldo LosanoHispanic19Luis MedranoHispanic27July 28, 1922TorranceMurder-RobberyAnton Coury, whiteYsiderio Miranda, NM, 1922 July 28Ysidero MirandaHispanic33Carlos RenteriaHispanic24Stephen KatonkaWhite40October 20, 1922San JuanMurder-RobberyWilliam Kelly and Sam Groy, whiteStephen Katonka, 1922 October 20Francisco VaisaHispanic25April 6, 1923, 5:30 AMTorranceMurder-RobberyAnton Coury, whiteFrancisco Valsa, NM, 1923 April 6James F. HinkleThomas Bishop Jr.Black32July 21, 1933, 12:38-1:12 AMBernalilloElectrocutionMurder-RapeAngelina Jaramillo, 18, HispanicThomas Johnson, 1933 July 21Arthur SeligmanSantiago GardunoHispanic49Rio ArribaMurderFilemon Martinez, 16, Hispanic (stepson)Pedro TalamanteHispanic54May 10, 1946, 12:10 AMMcKinleyMurderAntonia Talamante, 25, Hispanic (wife)Pedro Lamontes, NM, 1946 May 10John J. DempseyLouis YoungBlack47June 13, 1947, 12:07 AMMcKinleyMurder-RapeEloise Kennedy, 23, whiteLouis Young, 1947 June 13Thomas J. MabryArthur Fay JohnsonWhite57February 19, 1954, 12:09 AMChavesMurder-RobberyWilliam Cabrel, 59, whiteArthur Fay Johnson, NM, 1954 February 19Edwin L. MechemFrederick W. HeislerWhite33October 29, 1954, 12:15 AMQuayMurder-RobberyJohn Gunnish, 39, whiteFrederick Heisler, 1954 October 29James Larry UptonWhite22February 12, 1956, 12:09 AMBernalilloMurder-RobberyDonald Dilley, 18, whiteJames Upton, NM, 1956 February 24John F. SimmsDavid Cooper NelsonWhite39January 8, 1960, 12:20 AMValenciaLethal gasMurder-RobberyRalph Henderson Rainey, 46, whiteDavid Nelson, 1960 January 8John BurroughsTerry D. ClarkWhite45November 6, 2001, 7:10 PMChavesLethal injectionMurder-Rape-KidnapDena Lynn Gore, 9, whiteGary Johnson

List of people executed in New Mexico

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