Virginia's Execution History

There have been 103 people executed since reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976.

Virginia is 2nd in the nation in executions behind Texas; 1st per capita with states that have populations of more than 1 million people.

2009 Executions

Edward Nathaniel Bell - February 19

2008 Executions

Christopher Scott Emmett - July 24 

Kent Jackson - July 10 

Robert Yarbrough - June 25 

Kevin Green - May 27 

2007 Executions

(no execution)

2006 Executions

Dexter Lee Vinson - April 27

Brandon Hedrick - July 20

Michael Lenz - July 27

John Yancey Schmitt - November 9

2005 Executions

(no executions)

2004 Executions

Brian Lee Cherrix - March 18

Dennis Mitchell Orbe - March 31

Mark Wesley Bailey - July 22

James Bryant Hudson - August 18

James Reid - September 9

2003 Executions

Bobby Swisher - July 22

Earl Bramblett - April 9

2002 Executions

James Earl Patterson - March 14

Daniel Lee Zirkle - April 2

Walter Mickens, Jr. - June 12

Aimal Kahn Kasi - November 14

2001 Executions

Thomas Akers - March 1

Christopher Beck - October 18

2000 Executions

Douglas Thomas - January 10

Steve Roach - January 13

Lonnie Weeks, Jr. - March 16

Michael Clagett - July 6

Russel Burket - August 30

Derek Barnabei - September 14

Bobby Lee Ramdass - October 10

Christopher Goins - December 6

1999 Executions

Mark Sheppard - January 20

Tony Fry - February 2

George Quesinberry - March 9

David Lee Fisher - March 25

Carl Chichester - April 13

Arthur Jenkins - April 20

Eric Payne - April 28

Ronald Yeatts - April 29

Thomas Strickler - July 21

Marlon Dewayne Williams - August 17

Everett Mueller - September 16

Jason Joseph - October 19

Thomas Royal, Jr. - November 9

Andre Graham - December 9

1998 Executions

Tony Mackall - February 10

Douglas Buchanan - Mar. 18

Ronald Watkins - March 25

Angel Breard - Apr. 14

Dennis Eaton - June 18

Danny King - July 23

Lance Chandler - August 20

Johnile DuBois - August 31

Kenneth Stewart, Jr. - September 23

Dwayne Wright - October 14

Ronald Fitzgerald - October 21

Kenneth Wilson - November 17

Kevin Cardwell - December 3

Virginia Breaks Single Year Record...Again

For the 3rd consecutive year, Virginia has broken its number of executions by killing 13 people in 1998. In 1997, 9 were executed and 8 were executed in 1996. While still remaining behind Texas in the total number of executions since reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976, Virginia now has passed Texas with the most executions per capita with states having populations of 1 million or more.

1998 also saw Virginia in the spotlight of the world when on April 14th, Angel Breard, a Paraguayan national was executed, as Virginia snubbed the World Court and the U.S. State Department. Their arguments that international treaties which call for countries to notify the governments of their citizens being incarcerated were broken, were rejected. Not since 1924 had Virginia executed a person who was a juvenile when he committed the crime. Dwayne Wright, who was 17 and had mental disorders when he murdered Saba Tekle, was executed on October 14.

VADP would like to extend its condolences to the families and friends who lost the following loved ones in 1998, in the name of the state. Anthony Mackall, Douglass Buchanan, Ronald Watkins, Angel Breard, Dennis Eaton, Danny King, Lance Chandler, Johnile Dubois, Kenneth Stewart, Jr., Dwayne Wright, Ronald Fitzgerald, Kenneth Wilson, and Kevin Cardwell.

..And while 13 cells were emptied this year, 9 of them were refilled. This is the most sentenced to death in one year since reinstatement. The following men entered Death Row in 1998. Eric Payne and Darrick Walker in Richmond, Mir Aimal Kasi in Fairfax, Bobby Swisher in Augusta County, James Reid in Montgomery County, Brian Cherrix in Accomack County, Darryl Adkins and Dennis Orbe in York County, and Brandon Hedrick in Appomattox.

Anyone who wishes to become a pen pal to anyone on Virginia's Death Row can write them at Sussex I State Prison, PO Box 288, Waverly VA. 23890.

1997 Executions

Michael George - February 6

Coleman Gray - February 26

Roy Bruce Smith - July 17

Joseph Roger O'Dell - July 23

Carlton Jerome Pope - August 19

Mario Murphy - September 17

Dawud Mu'Min - November 13

Michael Charles Satcher - December 9

Thomas Beavers - December 11

Executions in Virginia Reach Modern-Day Record in 1997

The last time more than 9 people were executed in Virginia in a single year was 1909. 17 were executed in that year. And once again Virginia executed 2 or more men between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 4 were killed during that time period last year. The news for the immediate future does not look any better. At the Annual Meeting of Virginians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty held at the end of October, a group of nearly 50 activists were informed that close to 30 men were in the later stages of their appeals.

As it appeared that things were going to get better with the reduction of death sentences as a result of Virginia abolishing parole, 5 men were sentenced to death in November. Only 3 had been sentenced to death in the last 2 years.

Gov. George Allen in his 4 years as Governor (Virginia law states that a Gov. can only serve 1 consecutive term of 4 years.) was responsible for 24 executions. On the other hand he did commute the death sentence of Joseph Payne 3 hours before he was to be executed in Nov. of last year and most recently commuted the death sentence of William Saunders this past September, 2 days before he refused to commute Mario Murphy's death sentence. Mario's case became high profile and there was a good case for commutation. Instead the Gov. commuted Saunders' "out of the blue" and allowed the execution of Murphy.

Virginia remains in 2nd place behind Texas in executions since reinstatement of the death penalty with 46. There are nearly 50 people remaining on death row.

1996 Executions

If leading the country in executions with 8 in 1996 wasn't enough, Virginia surpassed Florida for second place in total executions since reinstatement of the DP in 1976 by executing Coleman Gray on February 26. This was the second execution this year. Michael George was executed on Feb. 6. Virginia's 3rd execution of the year will most likely take place on April 8 when Doug Buchanon is scheduled to die by lethal injection. Last year Virginia broke its own modern day record for executions by executing the following 8 people:

Walter Correll - January 4

Richard Townes - January 23

Joseph Savino - July 17

Ronald Bennett - November 21

Greg Beaver - December 3

Larry Stout - December 10

Lem Tuggle - December 12

Ronald Hoke - December 16

This was the 2nd time Virginia has executed on International Human Rights Day. (Timothy Bunche was executed in 1992.) About 40 people, including AI Board member Abe Bonowitz and representatives from AI's Mid Atlantic Regional office joined Virginians to protest Virginia's use of the death penalty on International Human Rights Day.

On the legislative front, the usual death penalty expansion bills passed including the willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing of more than one person, within 5 years of another killing, the murder of an out of state police officer, and the death penalty for drug kingpins when a murder has occurred. The Capital Case Bill of Review which would have repealed the 21 day rule was killed in a sub-committee of the House Courts of Justice. This was a disappointment since the 21 day rule was a major focus of the Journey of Hope last Fall.

Executions Since 1976

Date Killed Prisoner Race Victims' Race/Sex Victims'
Names
Aug. 10, 1982 Frank Coppola W W/F Muriel Hatchell
Oct. 12, 1984 Linwood Briley B W/M John Gallaher
Apr. 18, 1985 James Briley B B/F B/M Judy Barton
Harvey Barton
June 25, 1985 Morris Mason B W/F Muriel Hand
Aug. 31, 1986 Michael Smith B W/F Audrey Weiler
July 6, 1987 Richard Whitley W W/F Phoebe Parsons
Apr. 14, 1988 Earl Clanton B B/F Wilhelmina Smith
Aug. 30, 1989 Alton Waye B W/F Laverne Marshall
July 19, 1990 Richard Boggs W W/F Treeby Shaw
Oct. 17, 1990 Wilbert Evans B B/M William Truesdale
Dec. 13, 1990 Buddy Justus W W/F Ida Mae Moses
July 24, 1991 Albert Clozza W W/F Patricia Bolton
Aug. 22, 1991 Derick Peterson B W/M Howard Kauffman
May 20, 1992 Roger Coleman W W/F Wanda McCoy
July 23, 1992 Edward Fitzgerald W W/F Patricia Cubbage
Sept. 15, 1992 Willie Jones B B/M B/F Graham Adkins
Myra Adkins
Dec. 10, 1992 Timothy Bunch W A/F Su Cha Thomas
Jan. 19, 1993 Charles Stamper B B/F
2-B/M
Agnes Hicks
Franklin Cooley
Stephen Staples
Mar. 18, 1993 Syvasky Poyner B W/F
W/F
W/F
W/F
W/F
Joyce Baldwin
Louise Paulett
Vicki Ripple
Chestine Brooks
Carolyn Hedrick
June 17, 1993 Andrew Chabrol W W/F Lisa Herrington
Sept. 14, 1993 Joe Wise B W/M William Ricketson
Dec. 16, 1993 David Pruett W W/F
W/F
Wilma Harvey
Debra McInnis
Mar. 3, 1994 Johnny Watkins B W/F
W/M
Betty Barker
Carl Buchanan
Apr. 27, 1994 Timothy Spencer B W/F
W/F
W/F
W/F
Susan Tucker
Debbie Davis
Susan Hellams
Diane Cho
Jan. 24, 1995 Dana Edmonds B W/M John Elliott
May 25, 1995 Willie Turner B W/M Jack Smith
Sept. 27, 1995 Dennis Stockton W W/M Kenneth Arnder
Oct. 19, 1995 Mickey Davidson W W/F
W/F
W/F
Doris Davidson
Mamie Clatterbuck
Tammy Clatterbuck
Nov. 13, 1995 Herman Barnes B W/M
W/M
Clyde Jenkins Mohammed Afifi
Jan. 4, 1996 Walter Correll W W/M Charles Bousman
Jan. 23,1996 Richard Townes B W/F Virginia Goebel
July 17, 1996 Joseph Savino W W/M Thos McWaters
Nov. 21, 1996 Ronald Bennett B W/F Anne Keller Vaden
Dec. 3, 1996 Gregory Beaver W W/M Leo Whitt
Dec. 10, 1996 Larry Stout B W/F Jacqueline Kooshian
Dec. 12, 1996 Lem Tuggle W W/F Jessie Havens
Dec. 16, 1996 Ronald Hoke W W/F Virginia Stell
Feb. 6, 1997 Michael George W W/M Alexander Sztanko
Feb. 26, 1997 Coleman Gray B W/M Richard McClelland
July 17, 1997 Roy Bruce Smith W W/M Sgt. John Conner
July 23, 1997 Joseph O'Dell W W/F Helen Schartner
Aug.19, 1997 Carlton Pope B W/F Cynthia Gray
Sept. 17, 1997 Mario Murphy F* W/M James Radcliff
Nov. 13, 1997 Dawud Mu'Min B W/F Gladys Nopwasky
Dec. 9, 1997 Michael Satcher B W/F Anne Elizabeth Borghesani
Dec. 11, 1997 Thomas Beavers W B/F Marguerite Lowery
Feb. 10, 1998 Tony Mackall B W/F Mary Elizabeth Dahn
Mar. 18, 1998 Douglas Buchanan, Jr. W WM
WM
WM
WF
Douglas Buchanan Sr.
Donald Patterson
Joel Jerry Patterson
Geraldine Patterson Buchanan
Mar. 25, 1998 Ronald Watkins B WM William McCauley
Apr. 14, 1998 Angel Breard F** WF Ruth Dickie
June 18, 1998 Dennis Eaton W WM Jerry Hines
July 23, 1998 Danny King W WF Carolyn Rogers
Aug. 20, 1998 Lance Chandler B WM William Dix
Aug. 31, 1998 Johnile DuBois B WM Philip Council
Sept. 23, 1998 Kenneth Stewart, Jr. W WF, WM Cynthia & Jonathan Stewart
Oct. 14, 1998 Dwayne Wright B BF Saba Tekle
Oct. 21, 1998 Ronald Fitzgerald B BM,BM Coy White
Hugh Morrison
Nov. 17, 1998 Kenneth Wilson B BF Jacqueline Stephens
Dec. 3, 1998 Kevin Cardwell B BM Anthony Brown
Jan. 20, 1999 Mark Sheppard B WM,WF Richard & Rebecca Rosenbluth
Feb. 4, 1999 Tony Fry W WM Leland Jacobs
March 9, 1999 George Quesinberry W WM Thomas Haynes
March 25, 1999 David Lee Fisher W WM David Wilkey
April 13, 1999 Carl Chichester B WM Timothy Rigney
April 20, 1999 Arthur Jenkins W WM,WM Floyd Jenkins
Lee Brinklow
April 28, 1999 Eric Payne W WF, BF Sally Fazio
Ruth Parham
April 29, 1999 Ronald Yeatts B ?F Ruby Dodson
July 21, 1999 Thomas Strickler W BF Leann Whitlock
Aug. 17, 1999 Marlon Williams B WF Helen Bedsole
Sept. 16, 1999 Everett Mueller W WF Charity Powers
Oct. 19, 1999 Jason Joseph B   Jeffrey Anderson
Nov. 9, 1999 Thomas Royal, Jr. B   Kenny Wallace
Dec. 9, 1999 Andre Graham B WF Sheryl Stack
Jan. 10, 2000 Douglas Thomas W WM, WF Kathy & James Wiseman
Jan. 13, 2000 Steve Roach W WF Mary Ann Hughes
March 16,2000 Lonnie Weeks, Jr. B HM Jose Cavazos
July 6, 2000 Michael Clagett W WM
WF
F~M
F~1 M
Wendel Parrish
Karen Rounds
Lam Van Son
Abdelaziz Gren
August 30, 2000 Russel Burket W 2WF Katherine Tafelski
Ashley Tafelski
Sept. 14, 2000 Derek Barnabei W WF Sarah Wisnosky
Oct. 10, 2000 Bobby Ramdass B F~2 M Mohammad Kayani
Dec. 6, 2000 Christopher Goins B 3BM, 2BF James Randolf, Jr.,Daphne Jones,
Nicole Jones,David Jones, Robert Jones
March 1, 2001 Thomas Akers W WM Wesley Smith
October 18, 2001 Christoher Beck W 2WM 1WF Florence Marks, William Miller, David Kaplan
March 14, 2002 James Earl Patterson W WF Joyce Aldridge
April 2, 2002 Daniel Lee Zirkle W 2WF Jessica Shifflett, Christina Zirkle
June 12, 2002 Walter Mickens, Jr. B WM Timothy Hall
November 14, 2002 Aimal Kahn Kasi F~2 2WM Frank Darling, Lansing Bennett
April 9, 2003 Earl Bramblett W 1WM, 3WF Blaine Hodges, Teresa Hodges, Winter Hodges, Anah Hodges
July 22, 2003 Bobby Swisher W 1WF Dawn McNees Snyder
March 18, 2004 Brian Lee Cherrix W WF Tessa Van Hart
March 31, 2004 Dennis Orbe W WM Richard Sterling Burnett
July 22, 2004 Mark Bailey   WF
WM
Katherine Bailey
Nathan Bailey
August 18, 2004 James Hudson W WM
WM
WF
Walter Stanley Cole
Thomas Wesley Cole
Patsy Ayers Cole
September 9, 2004 James Reid B BF Annie V Lester
April 27, 2006 Dexter Lee Vinson B WF Angela Felton
June 20, 2006 Brandon Hedrick W BF Lisa Crider
July 27, 2006 Michael Lenz W WM Brent Parker
Nov 9, 2006 John Yancey Schmitt W BM  Earl Shelton Dunning

(Race: w=white; b=Afro-American; a=asian; h=hispanic. Sex:m=male; f=female)
*Foreign - Mexican national
**Foreign - Paraguayan national
~ Foreign- Vietnamese national
~1 Foreign- Moroccan national
~2 Foreign- Pakistani national

Condemned Prisoners who
Committed Suicide on the Row

Date of Death Prisoner Race Victims'
Race/Sex
Victims'
Name
Dec. 6, 1983 Manual Quintana Camego H H/F Ophelia Quintero
Apr. 7, l987 John Levasseur A W/F Pamela Benner
June 13, 1993 Wayne DeLong W B/M George Taylor
Mar. 1, 2001 David Overton W W/M Edgar Williams
February 23, 2004 Jeffery Remington W M Brent Parker

Died While Incarcerated on Death Row

Date of Death Prisoner Race Victim's
Race/Sex
Victim's
Name
Oct. 28, 1993 Delasandro Barber B W/M Williams Geddes
Dec. 28 2001 Enrico Alaia     Todd Taylor/ Terry Garner