17 Women Executed Since 1976
Seventeen women have been executed in the United States since 1976.
Each of their stories is different — the crimes, the backgrounds, the final words. Some were calculated, others chaotic. Some expressed remorse, others none at all. But they all passed through the same system, under the same sentence: death.
As of now, twenty-four states actively allow the death penalty. Twenty-three have banned it, and three more — California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania — have formal moratoriums in place, meaning executions are paused, even if death sentences remain on the books.
Support for the death penalty has declined in recent years, yet polls still show that a majority of Americans — though a shrinking one — believe it has a place in our justice system.
Critics argue it’s applied unequally, is deeply flawed, and can never be undone if a mistake is made. Supporters see it as a tool for accountability, a way to bring justice to victims and their families.
Episode 97 Out Now
In the latest episode, we take a look at the 17 individual cases as well as previewing the young lady who may become number 18 in the coming year.
Meet the Women of Death Row
You can hear their individual stories by listening to the latest episode, but you can see them and read about them below.
Velma Barfield – November 2nd, 1984
Karla Faye Tucker – February 3rd, 1998
Judy Buenoano – March 30th, 1998
Betty Lou Beets – February 24th, 2000
Christina Marie Riggs – May 2nd, 2000
Wanda Jean Allen – January 11th, 2001
Marilyn Kay Plantz – May 1st, 2001
Lois Nadean Smith – December 4th, 2001
Lynda Lyon Block – May 10th, 2002
Aileen Carol Wuornos – October 9th, 2002
Frances Elaine Newton September 14th, 2005
Teresa Wilson Bean Lewis – September 23rd, 2010
Kimberly LaGayle McCarthy – June 26th, 2013
Suzanne Margaret Basso – February 5th, 2013
Lisa Ann Coleman – September 17th, 2014
Kelly Renee Gissendaner – September 30th, 2015
Lisa Marie Montgomery – January 13th, 2021
Christa Pike – September 30th, 2026?
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