List of people executed in Montana

The following is a list of people executed by the U.S. state of Montana since capital punishment was resumed in 1976.

A total of 3 people convicted of murder have been executed since the Gregg v. Georgia decision. They were all executed by lethal injection. Terry Langford and David Dawson waived their appeals and asked that their executions be carried out.[1]

No. Name Race Age Sex Date of execution County Method Victim(s) Governor
1 Duncan Peder McKenzie Jr. White 43 M May 10, 1995 Pondera Lethal injection Lana Harding Marc Racicot
2 Terry Allen Langford White 31 M February 24, 1998 Powell Ned Blackwood and Celene Blackwood
3 David Thomas Dawson White 48 M August 11, 2006 Yellowstone David Rodstein, Monica Rodstein, and Andrew Rodstein Brian Schweitzer

Demographics

Race
White 3 100%
Age
30–39 1 33%
40–49 2 67%
Sex
Male 3 100%
Date of execution
1976–1979 0 0%
1980–1989 0 0%
1990–1999 2 67%
2000–2009 1 33%
2010–2019 0 0%
2020–2029 0 0%
Method
Lethal injection 3 100%
Governor (Party)
Thomas Lee Judge (D) 0 0%
Ted Schwinden (D) 0 0%
Stan Stephens (R) 0 0%
Marc Racicot (R) 2 67%
Judy Martz (R) 0 0%
Brian Schweitzer (D) 1 33%
Steve Bullock (D) 0 0%
Greg Gianforte (R) 0 0%
Total 3 100%

Executions before 1972

The following individuals were executed before 1972, when the Furman v. Georgia ruling briefly abolished capital punishment. All were executed locally by hanging under county authorities.[2][3]

Name Race Age Date of execution County Crime Victim(s) Governor
Thomas King White 37 June 6, 1890 Jefferson Murder Matthew Fogarty, white[4] Joseph Toole
Antley Native American December 19, 1890 Missoula Murder Three people, white[5][a]
La-La-See Native American Murder Two males, white[6]
Pierre Paul Native American
Pascale Native American Murder-Robbery J. M. Dunn, white[7][b]
John Burns White December 16, 1892 Missoula Murder Maurice Higgins, white[8]
Robert Anderson White 26 July 13, 1894 Park Murder-Robbery Emanuel Fleming, 24, white[9] John E. Rickards
John Osnes White July 13, 1894 Chouteau Murder-Robbery Ole Lilledall, white[10]
Calvin Christie White 31 December 21, 1894 Flathead Murder-Robbery Lena Cunningham, white[11]
Clay Pugh White 24 July 1, 1895 Jefferson Murder C. T. Wheat, white[12]
Joseph Cadotte Native American December 27, 1895 Chouteau Murder Oliver Richards, white[13]
John Biggerstaff Black April 6, 1896 Lewis and Clark Murder Richard Johnson, black[14]
William Gay White 52 June 8, 1896 Lewis and Clark Murder James Mackey, white[15]
Thomas Salmon White January 27, 1899 Carbon Murder William O'Connor, white[16] Robert Burns Smith
Joseph Allen White 21 September 14, 1899 Lewis and Clark Murder-Robbery E. C. Leach, 37, white[17]
William Brooks Black November 24, 1899 Yellowstone Murder Jennie Brooks, black (wife)[18][c]
William Calder White 27 March 18, 1900 Fergus Murder-Robbery Farquhar McRae and John Allen, white[19]
Joseph Hurst White March 29, 1900 Dawson Murder Dominic Cavanaugh, white (sheriff)[20][d]
William Pepo White 48 April 6, 1900 Teton Murder-Robbery Julius Plath, white[21]
Daniel Lucey White 42 September 14, 1900 Silver Bow Murder-Robbery Patrick Reagan, white[22][e]
Jim Fleming White September 6, 1901 Powell Conspiracy to murder Oliver Dotson, white (Clinton's father)[23][24][f] Joseph Toole
Clinton Dotson White April 4, 1902
James Martin White February 23, 1904 Silver Bow Murder-Robbery John R. Williams, white[25]
Louis Mott White May 18, 1904 Missoula Murder Female, white (wife)[26]
Herbert Metzger White May 5, 1905 Meagher Murder-Robbery Homer Ward, white[27]
Lu Sing Asian April 20, 1906 Gallatin Murder Tom Sing, Asian[28]
Miles Fuller White 66 May 18, 1906 Silver Bow Murder Henry J. Gallahan, white[29][30]
George Rock White 35 June 15, 1908 Powell Murder John A. Robinson, white (deputy warden)[31][g] Edwin L. Norris
Frederick LeBeau White April 2, 1909 Flathead Murder William F. and Riley Yoakum, white[32]
William Hayes White April 2, 1909 Powell Murder John A. Robinson, white (deputy warden)[33][34][h]
Henry Hall Black February 16, 1917 Meagher Murder-Robbery Michael Freeman, white[35] Sam V. Stewart
Harrison Gibson Black
Leslie Fahley Black
John Cuellae Hispanic 30 April 12, 1918 Yellowstone Murder Enos Nelson, 34, white (Billings policeman)[36]
Alfred Lane White 36 September 3, 1920 Rosebud Murder Harry Theade, white[37]
Albert Yick White 29 August 26, 1921 Beaverhead Murder Cyrus King Wyman, 53, white (sheriff)[38] Joseph M. Dixon
Joe Vuckovich White 34 February 17, 1922 Missoula Murder Mrs. Jerry Shea, 25, white[39]
Joseph Reagin White 22 February 9, 1923 Treasure Murder Irving Keeler, 37, white (sheriff)[40]
Glenna Bolton White 29
William Harris White April 20, 1923 Silver Bow Murder Cyril Schilling, white[41]
Monte Harris White 23
Seth Danner White[i] July 18, 1924 Gallatin Murder-Robbery Mr. and Mrs. John Sprouse, white[42]
Roy Walsh White 22 February 15, 1925 Jefferson Murder-Robbery A. S. Johnson, white[43] John E. Erickson
Tony Vettere White October 1, 1926 Silver Bow Murder Joe Ciccarelli and Antone Favero, white[44]
Ferdinand Schlaps White 19 May 20, 1927 Roosevelt Murder-Robbery Ludmilla Geisler, white[45][j]
Rollin Davisson White 44 November 6, 1929 Park Murder Peter Holte and Martin Zollman, 55 and 38, white (Livingston chief of police and patrolman)[46]
George Hoffman White 45 August 29, 1933 Chouteau Murder-Robbery George Burrell, white[47] Frank Henry Cooney
Henry Zorn White 26 April 24, 1935 Custer Murder-Burglary Lester C. Jones, white[48]
George Griner Black 38 October 16, 1935 Custer Murder James Fraser, 68, white (Miles City policeman)[49]
Franklin Robideau White 49 January 15, 1938 Stillwater Murder-Robbery Mike and Frieda Kuntz, 35 and 27, white[50][k] Roy E. Ayers
Lee Simpson White 52 December 30, 1939 Golden Valley Murder Three people, white[51][l]
Phillip Coleman Jr. Black 24 September 10, 1943 Missoula Murder-Robbery Carl W. Pearson and Roslyn Pearson, 48 and 30, white[52][m] Sam C. Ford

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Daniel McDonald, Benjamin Tompkins, and John Chelsey.
  2. ^ Also murdered his younger sister several years earlier.
  3. ^ Previously shot two men, killing one, while in the army but claimed the shooting occurred during the line of duty and was not prosecuted.
  4. ^ Hurst, the deputy sheriff, lost an election to become sheriff to Cavanaugh but became acting sheriff after his murder.
  5. ^ Suspected of several other murders.
  6. ^ Dotson, who was serving a life sentence in the state prison for the murder of Gene Cullinane, planned the murder with Fleming.
  7. ^ Murdered in Montana State Prison. Rock was serving a life sentence for another murder at the time of the crime.
  8. ^ Murdered in Montana State Prison.
  9. ^ Reportedly had partial Cherokee ancestry.
  10. ^ Also killer her husband, Antone Geisler.
  11. ^ Murdered an elderly pensioner near West Beekmantown, New York, with his brother in 1910 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, but escaped.
  12. ^ Ranch employees Gerald and Robert McDonald and 43-year-old deputy sheriff Arthur Burford.
  13. ^ Suspected serial killer, confessed to 21 other murders, one of which could be verified.

References

  1. ^ "Execution Database | Death Penalty Information Center". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "Executions in Montana - 1863-1943 - DeathPenaltyUSA, the database of executions in the United States". deathpenaltyusa.org. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
  3. ^ "Montana". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
  4. ^ "Hanged". The Omaha Republican. June 7, 1890. p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Antley, 1890 December 19, Espy Archive
  6. ^ See Lala, Paul Pierre, 1890 December 19, Espy Archive
  7. ^ Pascale, 1890 December 19, Espy Archive
  8. ^ John Burns, 1892 December 16, Espy Archive
  9. ^ Robert Anderson, MT, 1894 July 13, Espy Archive
  10. ^ John Osnes, 1894 July 13, Espy Archive
  11. ^ Calvin Christie, 1894 December 21, Espy Archive
  12. ^ Clay Pugh, MT, 1895 July 1, Espy Archive
  13. ^ Joseph Cadotte, 1895 December 27, Espy Archive
  14. ^ John Biggerstaff, 1896 April 6, Espy Archive
  15. ^ William Gay, 1896 June 8, Espy Archive
  16. ^ Thomas Salmon, 1899 January 27, Espy Archive
  17. ^ Joseph Allen, 1899 September 14, Espy Archive
  18. ^ William Brooks, 1899 November 24, Espy Archive
  19. ^ William Calder, 1900 March 18, Espy Archive
  20. ^ Joseph Hurst, 1900 March 29, Espy Archive
  21. ^ William Pepo, 1900 April 6, Espy Archive
  22. ^ Daniel Lucey, MT, 1900 September 14, Espy Archive
  23. ^ Jim Fleming, 1901 September 6, Espy Archive
  24. ^ Clint Dotson, 1902 April 4, Espy Archive
  25. ^ James Martin, 1904 February 23, Espy Archive
  26. ^ Louis Mott, 1904 March 18, Espy Archive
  27. ^ Herbert Metzger, 1905 May 5, Espy Archive
  28. ^ Sing Lu, 1906 April 20, Espy Archive
  29. ^ "Aged Man Hanged". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 18, 1906. p. 6. Retrieved December 29, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ "Execution Of Fuller". The Montana Catholic. May 19, 1906. p. 4. Retrieved December 29, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ George Rock, 1908 June 15, Espy Archive
  32. ^ Frederick Lebeau, MT, 1909 April 2, Espy Archive
  33. ^ William Hayes, 1909 April 7, Espy Archive
  34. ^ "Two Murderers Hang In Mont". The Telegraph-Herald. April 2, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved December 29, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ Henry Hall, Harrison Gibson, Leslie Fahley, 1917 February 16, Espy Archive
  36. ^ John Cuellae, 1918 April 12, Espy Archive
  37. ^ Alfred Lane, 1920 September 3, Espy Archive
  38. ^ Albert Yick, 1921 August 26, Espy Archive
  39. ^ Joe Vuckovich, 1922 February 17, Espy Archive
  40. ^ Joseph Reagin, Glenna Bolton, 1923 February 9, Espy Archive
  41. ^ Monte Harris, MT, 1923 April 20, Espy Archive
  42. ^ Seth Danner, 1924 July 18, Espy Archive
  43. ^ Roy Walsh, 1925 February 15, Espy Archive
  44. ^ Tony Vettere, 1926 October 1, Espy Archive
  45. ^ Ferdinand Schlaps, 1927 May 20, Espy Archive
  46. ^ Rollin Davisson, 1929 November 6, Espy Archive
  47. ^ George Hoffman, 1933 August 29, Espy Archive
  48. ^ Henry Zorn, 1935 April 24, Espy Archive
  49. ^ George Griner, 1935 October 16, Espy Archive
  50. ^ Franklin Robideau, 1938 January 15, Espy Archive
  51. ^ Lee Simpson, 1939 December 30, Espy Archive
  52. ^ Phillip Coleman Jr., 1943 September 10, Espy Archive
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