Mary Mabel Rogers, a 21-year-old white housewife, walked unaided to the gallows for the murder of her estranged husband, Marcus Rogers, on August 12, 1902. The Crime Mary wanted to be rid of Marcus so she could be with another man, Morris Knapp, and collect Marcus’ $400 life insurance. She persuaded Marcus to go on … Read more
James Kelly Moss, 1962 James Kelly Moss was a career criminal who served his first prison term in 1933, at age 19, having been convicted of trying to steal bags of coffee and car tires from an L&N Railroad boxcar. Some eight months later, he and two other inmates were unloading a truck outside the … Read more
The stories on this page are also available in pdf book format at Women Executed in America (1900–2021) — 56 True Crime Biographies. A total of 56 women have been lawfully executed in 20 states of the USA between 1903 and January 2021, including three under Federal authority. Offenses Leading to Execution Of these 56 women, … Read more
A Halt in Executions As of December 31st, 1976, there had been no executions in the USA for nine and a half years, after the Supreme Court suspended the death penalty in 1968. The previous execution was that of 48-year-old Luis Jose Monge, who was put to death in Colorado’s gas chamber on June 2nd, … Read more
The Brutal Murder of Pearl Bryan (1896) One of the most sensational Kentucky cases was the brutal murder of Pearl Bryan in 1896. Pearl was 21 years old, the youngest of twelve children, and came from Greencastle, Indiana. She had done well at school and was very popular. At the time of her death, she … Read more
