Ohio Executions

The State was admitted into the Union on March 1, 1803.

Ohio has executed 434 men and 4 women between 1792 and 1963.

1 of these execution were prior to Statehood, 433 since.

The first person executed in Ohio was James Mays. He was hanged on November 15, 1792 for murder in Hamilton County.

The first woman executed was Black convict Esther Foster who was hanged with White male convict James Clark on February 9, 1844. They were convicted of murder in Franklin County.

A 25-year-old Black woman, Betty Butler, was the last woman executed in Ohio. She died in the electric chair on June 12, 1954 for murder committed in Hamilton County.

Anna Hahn and Dovie Dean were the only other women executed. Both died in the electric chair, Hahn on December 7, 1938 and Dean on January 15, 1954. Both were murderers. 

Donald Reinbolt, a 29-year-old parolee, was the last person executed in Ohio. On March 15, 1963 he was electrocuted for Murder-Robbery in Franklin County.

A Native American named Leatherlips suffered a unique execution. In June of 1810 he was Bludgeoned to Death for an unknown crime in Franklin County.

Hanging was the standard method of execution until April 21, 1897 when 17-year-old William Haas (Murder-Rape) and William Wiley (Murder) died in the Electric Chair for crimes committed in Hamilton County.

The State's 438 executions averages to 2.6 executions a  year.

There were 120 Hangings, 315 Electrocutions, 2 Shooting and 1 Bludgeoned.