Tag Archives: Executions

State of Missouri v. William R. Jones

749 S.W.2d 356 (Mo.banc 1988)

William R. Jones was executed at 12:04 a.m., November 20, 2002.

JonesW
Case Facts: William Jones met Stanley Albert in late 1985. In November of 1985 Mr. Albert purchased a white 1985 Camaro Z28 automobile. After Mr. Albert’s purchase, Jones told a few of his friends that his father was going to help him purchase a new white Camaro. 

On January 16, 1986 at 4:30 p.m. Mr. Albert pulled up in front of Jones’ apartment in the Camaro. Before joining Mr. Albert, Jones borrowed a blanket from his roommate stating that his new car had arrived and he didn’t want to get it dirty when he went to pick up some tires. 

Later that same evening Jones offered his roommate a ride in the Camaro. White riding around Jones crushed a pair of sunglasses remarking that the owner would no longer need them.

The next day Jones purchased a shovel with his roommate’s credit card and returned later in the afternoon. He told his roommate that he was going to take a nap because, “it gets pretty tiring when you drag a dead man through the woods.”

On Sunday, January 19, 1986 Jones picked up a female friend in Topeka, Kansas to drive her to Indianapolis, Indiana in the Camaro. East of Kansas City, the Missouri State Highway Patrol attempted to stop Jones for speeding. Jones outran the police and abandoned the car in Malta Bend, Missouri. The police Located the car with stolen Kansas license plates. Jones was arrested later that day.

Mr. Albert did not report to work on January 17, 1986 and was not seen again. On March 2, 1986 his body was found wrapped in a blanket in a wooded area outside Independence, Missouri. The blanket was identical to the one that Jones had borrowed from his roommate in January. Mr. Albert had been shot five times in the neck and the chest. The Medical Examiner estimated that Mr. Albert had been dead between two weeks and several months. Three of the bullets were determined to have been fired from the same weapon and the other two might have been.

When police searched the home of William Jones they found shells of the same type that had been found at the scene of the crime. Police also found a watch that had belonged to Mr. Albert and his license plates which had been on the Camaro.

Last Statement of William Jones: “I regret what has happened, I do not deserve death for it. God forgive those for what they do not understand what they do. To the family of the victim Stanley Albert, I am sorry for what has happened and that you suffered this great loss, but after 17 years of my incarceration, does this really give you a sense of closure-or simply a sense of vengeance? I pray for you all. To my wife, fathers, mother and nephew Zakary, I will see you soon in the heavens above. My darling Gerti my wife, I love you endlessly my honeybird. Till we meet again, stay strong. Love Billy”

The Missourinet’s Steve Walsh reports following execution of William R. Jones  [:55 mp3] [:60 mp3] [:46 mp3]


Legal Chronology:

1986
01/16 – William Jones murders Stanley ALbert in Jackson County, Missouri. 
11/06 – Jones goes on trial for First Degree Murder.
11/12 – A jury finds Jones guilty of Murder First Degree and recommends a sentence of death.

1987
02/09 – Jones is sentenced to death.

1988
02/09 – The Missouri State Supreme Court affirms Jones’ conviction and sentence.
06/30 – Jones files a post-conviction motion for relief.
10/03 – The United States Supreme Court denies Jones’ petition for writ of certiorari.

1989
04/07 – April 7 Jones’ post-conviction motion for relief is denied by the Circuit Court.

1990
02/13 – The Missouri State Supreme Court affirms the circuit court’s decision to deny Jones’ motion for post-conviction relief.
10/01 -The United States Supreme Court denies Jones’ petition for writ of certiorari.
10/16 -Jones files a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court.

1998
05/08 -The United States District court denies Jones’ petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2001
07/31 – The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the District Court’s denial of Jones’ petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2002
05/13 – The United States Supreme Court denies Jones’ petition of writ of certiorari.
09/25 – The Missouri State Supreme Court sets October 23, 2002 as the date of execution for William Jones.
10/04 -The Missouri State Supreme Court quashed the execution warrant set for October 23, 2002 and reset the execution date for November 20, 2002.

 

State of Missouri v. Daniel Anthony Basile

942 S.W.2d 342 (Mo.banc 1997)

Daniel Basile was executed at 10:05 p.m., August 14, 2002.

Audio 1:40 Missouri Corrections Director Gary Kempker briefing reporters following the execution of Daniel Basile.

Audio 1 min Jim Vaniseghem of St. Louis, brother of murder victim Elizabeth DeCaro, reading a statement from the family.

Friends and family of Daniel Basile speaking to reporters from the Missourinet and the Associated Press following the execution. Participants included:

Dennis Watson, the grandfather of Basile’s nine-year old daughter; Lisa Owsley, Wentzville, longtime friend of Daniel Basile; Julie Ferranto, St.Louis, niece of Basile; Terra Murray, St. Charles, sister of Daniel Basile; Desiree Trousdale, Jackson, sister of Daniel Basile; Captain Jeff Militti, army chaplain who was Basile’s spiritual advisor, whose mother often took care of Basile when he was a child. Militti is at home on emergency leave from South Korea.Also heard briefly is Tina Addison, mother of Basile’s daughter. Audio 15:00

BasileBCase Facts: On January 10, 1992 Richard DeCaro had a conversation with James Torregrossa in which he asked if he knew of anyone who could “put a hit on somebody.” DeCaro told Torregrossa that he was not happy in his marriage.

On January 20, 1992 DeCaro purchased a $100,000 insurance policy on his wife, Elizabeth, listing himself as the primary beneficiary. On January 26, 1992 DeCaro struck his wife with their van knocking her through the garage wall into the kitchen. DeCaro received over $30,000 from the insurance company as a result of the incident.

In January 1992 DeCaro asked Craig Wells, manager of a gas station, if he knew anyone who could steal his van. Wells introduced DeCaro to Daniel Basile. When the two met DeCaro offered Basile $15,000 to steal his van and kill Elizabeth. On February 8, 1992 Basile stole the van, drove it to Jackson, Missouri and burned it. He received $200 for the job.

On February 28, 1992 Basile asked his friend, Jeffrey Niehaus for a stolen gun that was not traceable. On March 4, Basile showed his half-brother, Doug Meyer, a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol with pearl-like grips.

On March 6, 1992 Richard DeCaro took his four children to the Lake of the Ozarks and checked into the Holiday Inn at 2:59 p.m. Between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. a witness noticed the DeCaro garage door was closed. Elizabeth DeCaro left work at 2:20 p.m. At 3:00 p.m. a neighbor noticed the garage door was open and the DeCaros’ Chevy Blazer with license plates “RIK-LIZ” was in the garage. The neighbor stopped by and rang the doorbell, but no one answered.

At 4:15 p.m. Basile was seen driving the DeCaros’ Blazer in St. Charles. That evening around 6:30 p.m. Basile called an ex-roomate for a ride stating that “things went down… I did what I had to do.” Basile then called Doug Meyer to see if he had garage space where Basile could work on his car. Basile drove the Blazer to a friend’s house and gave him a “boom box” stereo taken from the DeCaro home. Basile told the friend that he “did this lady.” At 10:30 p.m. Basile drove the Blazer to Meyer’s house.

When Elizabeth DeCaro failed to show up at her sister’s home for dinner and did not answer her telephone, her sister and a mutual friend went to the DeCaro residence. They went through a side door in the garage and found Elizabeth DeCaro lying face down on the kitchen floor.

Police found Mrs. DeCaro with two gunshot wounds in the back of her neck and bruises on her body. When she was shot the gun was in contact with her body and she was either kneeling or lying down. The bullets recovered from her body were .22 caliber. Police found no signs of a forced entry and observed that audio-visual equipment was missing from the home.

On March 7, 1992 Basile called Craig Wells and stated, “It looks like I got set up.” On March 9, Meyer found the DeCaros’ dismantled Blazer in the garage he provided for Basile. Meyer confronted Basile and Basile told him it was “either him or her,” and that he wasn’t going back to prison. On March 11, Meyer contacted the police. Basile was arrested on March 12, 1992 and charged with Murder First Degree.

Legal Chronology:1992
03/06 – Daniel Basile murdered Elizabeth DeCaro.
03/12 – Basile arrested for the murder of Elizabeth DeCaro.

1994
05/26 – Basile convicted of Murder First Degree in the St. Charles CountyCircuit Court.
05/27 – Jury sets punishment as death.
07/01 – Basile sentenced to death for the murder of Elizabeth DeCaro.

1995
01/17 – Basile files a motion for post-conviction relief.

1996
01/23 – Basile’s motion for post-conviction relief is denied.

1997
03/25 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms the conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief by the Circuit Court.
10/06 – Certiorari is denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.

1998
07/01 – Basile files a habeas petition in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
12/16 – Petition for habeas corpus denied by the U.S. District Court.

2000
01/04 – Basile files a motion to alter or amend the judgment.
02/02 – Motion to alter or amend the judgment is denied.

2001
01/09 – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirms the denial of habeas corpus.
11/13 – Certiorari denied.

2002
07/02 – The Missouri Supreme Court sets an execution date of August 14, 2002.

State of Missouri v. Paul Kreutzer

928 S.W. 2d 584 (Mo.banc 1996)

Paul Kreutzer was executed at 12:01 a.m., April 10, 2002.

Members of the victim’s family spoke to reporters   following the execution. Craig Hemphill, husband of Louise (Lou Ann) Hemphill, is the main speaker. He’s joined by Lou Ann’s sister, Sherrie Martin, and Lou Ann’s brother, Greg Brummell. AUDIO  (2:45)

KreutzerP
Case Facts: On September 2, 1992 Paul Kreutzer was observed in the vicinity of the home of Louise Hemphill near Louisiana, Missouri in Pike County. Mrs. Hemphill had returned home after taking one of her three children to school. Her brother had also visited her in the morning and then left the house.

Kreutzer had visited schools in the local area offering to speak to children about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. One of the schools was the one where Mrs. Hemphill had dropped off her daughter. At around 9:41 a.m. Kreutzer purchased a BB gun in Louisiana, Missouri.

At around 4:00 p.m. that day the Hemphill children found their mother upon their return from school. Mrs. Hemphill’s nude body was found laying on the floor of her son’s bedroom. Duct tape was wrapped around the head and foot of one of the beds and pieces of duct tape remained around Mrs. Hemphill’s ankles. Mr. Hemphill was contacted by his children. He returned home and called the police.

Mrs. Hemphill suffered multiple injuries. She had been stabbed in the neck. Bloodstains and duct tape were discovered in the bathroom and the master bedroom. Mrs. Hemphill had been struck at least three times with a baseball bat from her son’s room. The blows from the bat dislocated a vertebra in her neck and brain matter was leaking from the wound. Police found that strangulation was the immediate cause of death. A belt had been Looped around Mrs. Hemphill’s neck and used to strangle her. A hunting knife kept in the Hemphill’s kitchen was found laying on her body. Mrs. Hemphill’s purse was missing. Bloodstains on the bed cover and Mrs. Hemphill’s sweat pants matched hers and Kreutzer. A DNA sample of blood and semen found on the bedcover and Mrs. Hemphill’s person matched that of Kreutzer.

During their investigation police found that Kreutzer, on parole from Illinois, lived less than a mile from the Hemphill’s. Police arrested Kreutzer on the evening of September 2, 1992 at a nearby motel. Officers searched his car and recovered Mrs. Hemphill’s billfold, a pair of gloves with human bloodstains, a roll of duct tape and the BB gun Kreutzer had purchased that morning. Police searched the motel room where Kreutzer was staying and found a pair of jeans with human bloodstains and a receipt for the purchase of the BB gun. Kreutzer was then placed in custody and charged with Mrs. Hemphill’s murder.

Legal Chronology:1991
04/26 – Kreutzer was convicted of three counts of Burglary and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in Adams County, Illinois. He was sentenced to three and a half years and three years concurrent sentences in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

1992
09/02 – Louise Hemphill is murdered by PauL Kreutzer in Pike County, Missouri.
12/18 – Trial is moved to Callaway County on a change of venue at the request of the defendant.

1994
03/21 – Trial begins in Callaway County.
03/26 – Jury enters a verdict of guilty of murder first degree.
03/28 – The Jury recommends a sentence of death.
06/06 – The court denies a motion for a new trial and sentences Kreutzer to death.
11/29 – Kreutzer files a motion in the circuit court for post-conviction relief.

1995
07/17 – Kreutzer’s motion for post-conviction relief is denied by the circuit court.

1996
08/20 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms Kreutzer’s conviction and sentence. The court also affirms the circuit court’s denial of Kreutzer’s motion for post-conviction relief.
12/05 – A petition for certiorari is filed by the defendant.

1997
01/13 – The United States Supreme Court denies Kreutzer’s petition for writ of certiorari.

1998
01/27 – Kreutzer files a petition of writ of habeas corpus in the U.S. District Court.

1999
01/06 – The U.S. District Court denies the petition for habeas corpus.

2000
11/15 – The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the District Court’s denial of Kruetzer’s petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2001
11/01 – The U.S. Supreme Court denies Kreutzer’s petition for writ of certiorari.

2002
03/11 – The Missouri Supreme Court sets April 10, 2002 as the execution date for Paul Kreutzer.

State of Missouri v. Jeffrey Tokar

918 S.W. 2d 753 (Mo.banc 1996)

Jeffrey Tokar was executed on March 6, 2002

TokarJ Case Facts: Around noon on March 11, 1992 Jeffrey Tokar and his girlfriend Sandra Stickly were driving together in a rural area north of Centralia, Missouri looking for an empty house. The pair located the home of Johnny and Tammy Douglass and parked in the driveway. Tokar placed his socks over his hands to avoid Leaving fingerprints. He returned from inside the house with a shotgun and shells. He then urged Stickley to go back inside the house with him.

Later that afternoon Johnny Douglass returned home with his eight year old son Jared and his four year old daughter Lynzie. Upon arriving at the house they noticed the vehicle in the driveway. Mr. Douglass told his children to stay in the truck while he went to the garage to investigate. Lynzie left the truck a short time Later and then Jared also left the truck and went Into the garage.

Tokar and Stickley were inside ransacking the home and placing items in pillowcases. Stickley warned Tokar that she heard someone pull into the driveway. Tokar then loaded the shotgun and went toward the garage where he met Mr. Douglass. Stickley testified that she heard one of the children say “Mister, please don’t hurt my daddy.” She also heard Mr. Douglass plead, “Mister, please don’t hurt me. I’ll do anything you say.” She heard Tokar tell Mr. Douglass not to look at him. She heard one shot and then a second shot.

Tokar and Stickley ran back to the car and left the scene. Tokar wiped down the shotgun and took a shell from the weapon. They stopped the vehicle and Tokar threw the shotgun and the shell Into a nearby farm pond. Jared Douglass went to a neighbor’s house where the police were contacted. The children were then taken to their grandparents’ home.

When the police arrived at the scene they found Mr. Douglass in a pool of blood. He had been shot once in the face and once in the back of his head. Due to the blood splatter evidence it appeared to police that Mr. Douglass had been bent over or low to the ground when the second shot was fired. Police found a bloody shoe imprint and the items stuffed into pillow cases. They also recovered a box of .410 shotgun shells, but did not locate the shotgun.

Tokar and Stickley were arrested on March 13, 1992. At first Stickley denied being there, but later told police that she was with Tokar and that he had confessed to her that he had killed Mr. Douglass. The police also later recovered the shotgun and the shell from the pond where Tokar had thrown It on the day of the murder. Tokar was later identified in a line up by three different individuals and he was charged with Murder First Degree.

Legal Chronology:

1983
02/12 – Tokar was arrested for Assault with Minor Injury. He was sentenced to pay $75.00 plus court costs.

07/28 – Tokar was arrested for Blood Alcohol Content In Boone County, Missouri and was sentenced to seven days in the Boone County Jail.

07/28 – Tokar was also arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and was sentenced to six months in the Boone County Jail. The execution of sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation for two years.

1985
07/01 – Tokar was arrested for Battery and sentenced to 14 days in the county jail.

1987
06/21 – Tokar was arrested for Larceny and Shoplifting Under $50.00. He was sentenced to 30 days in the Boone County Jail and fined $125.00 and court costs.

1989
02/14 – Tokar was arrested for Damage to City Property and was fined $300.00.

05/23 – Tokar was arrested in Boone County for Driving While Intoxicated and Stealing without Consent. He was sentenced to three years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each charge to run concurrently.

1991
11/04 – Tokar was sentenced to two concurrent seven year sentences in the Missouri Department of Corrections from Boone County for two counts of Receiving Stolen Property over $150.

1992
03/11 – Johnny Douglass is murdered by Jeffrey Tokar in Audrain Court, Missouri.

1993
05/03 – Tokar goes to trial on a change of venue to Warren County. After five days a jury finds Tokar guilty of Murder 08/27 – First Degree and recommends the death penalty. Tokar is sentenced to death.

1994
05/26 – Tokar files a motion for post-conviction relief in the circuit court.

1995
02/10 – Tokar’s motion for post-conviction relief is denied by the circuit court.

1996
03/26 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms Tokar’s conviction and sentence. The court also affirms the circuit court’s denial of Tokar’s motion for post-conviction relief.
10/15 – The United States Supreme Court denies Tokar’s petition for writ of certiorari.

1997
05/23 – Tokar files a petition of writ of habeas corpus in the U.S. District Court.

1998
03/19 – The U.S. District Court denies Tokar’s petition for writ of habeas corpus.

1999
12/08 – The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the District Court’s denial of Tokar’s petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2000
10/02 – The U.S. Supreme Court denies Tokar’s petition for writ of certiorari.

2002
02/04 – The Missouri Supreme Court sets March 6, 2002, as the execution date for Jeffrey Tokar.

State of Missouri v. Michael Owsley

959 S.W.2d 789 (Mo.banc 1997)

Michael Owsley was executed at 12:07 a.m., February 6, 2002.

OwsleyM Case Facts: On April 18, 1993 Elvin Iverson drove from Kansas City, Missouri to Junction City, Kansas to sell drugs. Iverson was accompanied by Ellen Cole. When Iverson and Cole returned to Iverson’s residence in Kansas City they were confronted by Michael Owsley and another individual named Hamilton. Owsley and Hamilton ordered Iverson and Cole to lie on the floor. Hamilton had a semiautomatic weapon with a silencer and Owsley had a 12 gauge shotgun.

Hamilton demanded the money from the drug sale. Iverson told him that he gave the money to another individual that was with him in Junction City. Owsley then threatened Iverson and began punching, kicking and striking Iverson with the shotgun to persuade him to tell where the money was.

When Iverson continued to deny that he had the money, Owsley took a bag from Hamilton and put it on Iverson’s head and began to smother him. At that point Hamilton asked Cole about the money and she lied by offering to take them to a key. Hamilton then tied Cole and Iverson together by their feet with an electrical extension cord and the two where then covered with a blanket.

Owsley stood over them, hitting them with the barrel of the shotgun and said, “One of you will live: one of you will die.” He put the gun to Iverson’s head. Before he fired the weapon Hamilton told Owsley to put a pillow over Iverson’s head which Owsley did. He then fired the shotgun into Iverson’s head killing him instantly.

Hamilton untied Cole and took her to his car while Owsley followed in a second car. A short time later Cole managed to escape from Hamilton’s car and notify the police of the incident. Owsley was arrested on 4-19-93.

Legal Chronology:

1993
04/18 – Michael Owsley and Marion Hamilton kill Elvin Iverson in Kansas City, Missouri.
04/30 – wsley is charged by indictment with first degree murder, first degree assault, kidnapping and three counts of armed criminal action.

1994
10/18 – The trial begins in Jackson County Circuit Court.
10/26 – The jury finds Owsley guilty of murder first degree, kidnapping and two counts of armed criminal action.
10/28 -The jury recommended capital punishment as the sentence for murder first degree.

1995
01/06 – Owsley is sentenced to death on the charge of murder first degree and Life for kidnapping and two terms of 15 years for the two counts of armed criminal action.
01/15 – Owsley files a notice of appeal.
07/09 – Owsley files a motion for post-conviction relief.

1996
07/09 – The Circuit Court denies the motion for post-conviction relief.

1997
12/23 – The Missouri State Supreme Court affirms Owsley’s conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief

1998
10/05 – The U.S. Supreme Court denies certiorari review.
12/08 – Owsley files a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

1999
05/06 – The U.S. District Court denies the petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2000
12/11 – The U.S. Eighth Court of Appeals affirms the denial of relief.

2001
10/01 – The U.S. Supreme Court declines discretionary review.
10/02 – The state requests the Missouri State Supreme Court to set an execution date.

2002
07/07 – The Missouri State Supreme Court sets February 6, 2002 as Owsley’s execution date.