Since 1980, prosecutors statewide have announced they were seeking the death penalty in at least 134 cases, according to research by University of Colorado professor Michael Radelet. Sixteen of those cases resulted in a death sentence, and only one of those death sentences resulted in an execution in Colorado. Slightly fewer than half of the cases resulted in a guilty plea, often -- but not always -- as part of a plea deal to take the death penalty off the table. Fifteen cases ended with a conviction for something other than murder. In six cases, the defendants were acquitted. Three people are currently on death row, and three of the cases are ongoing.
The following spreadsheet has been compiled from Radelet’s research. To notify us of inaccuracies, misspellings and typos, please send an email to johningold@coloradosun.com.
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| Defendant | Year | County | Defendant's race | Defendant's gender | # of victims killed | Race/Gender of victim(s) | Defendant's ultimate plea | Verdict | Taken to a death penalty sentencing hearing? | Result of death penalty sentencing hearing | Death sentence outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenyon Tolerton #1 | 1980 | Arapahoe | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Robert Williams | 1980 | Douglas | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Roger Cullen | 1980 | El Paso | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Rodney Walker | 1980 | El Paso | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Edgar Duree | 1980 | Weld | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| James Manners | 1980 | Weld | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Bob Landry | 1981 | Boulder | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Marion Pruett | 1981 | Larimer | White | Male | 2 | WM WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Steven Morin | 1981 | Jefferson | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Executed in another state |
| Eugene Newsom | 1981 | Adams | Black | Male | 1 | BF | Not guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Leonard Bell | 1981 | Denver | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Johnnie Arguello | 1981 | Weld | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Died in prison |
| Paul Huntington | 1982 | Adams | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Ross Thomas | 1982 | Arapahoe | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Warren Dow | 1982 | Arapahoe | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Vernon Templeman | 1982 | El Paso | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Richard Drake | 1982 | Mesa | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| James Drake | 1982 | Mesa | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Accessory | No | ||
| Bruce Duffield | 1983 | Kit Carson | White | Male | 2 | WM WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Randy Wilson | 1983 | Kit Carson | White | Male | 2 | WM WM | Guilty | Aggravated robbery | No | ||
| Hurbando Garcia | 1983 | Montrose | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Sharon Nelson #1 | 1983 | Jefferson | White | Female | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder | No | ||
| Gary Adams #1 | 1983 | Jefferson | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Ronald Reggans | 1983 | Denver | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Charles R. Smith | 1983 | Yuma | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Keith Porter | 1984 | Pitkin | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Denver C. Maine | 1984 | Grand | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Frank Rodriguez | 1984 | Denver | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Died in prison |
| Chris Rodriguez | 1984 | Denver | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Willie Earl Guyton | 1984 | Adams | Black | Male | 2 | BF BF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Anne Durand #1 | 1985 | Gilpin | White | Female | 1 | WF | Guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| James Moulton #1 | 1985 | Gilpin | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Raymond Baca | 1985 | Pueblo | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HM | Not guilty | Acquitted | No | ||
| Donna Yaklich | 1985 | Pueblo | White | Female | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| Edward Greenwell | 1985 | Pueblo | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Anne Durand #2 | 1986 | Pueblo | White | Female | 1 | WM | Guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| James Moulton #2 | 1986 | Pueblo | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Robert McCormick | 1986 | Delta | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Alexander Valdez | 1986 | Arapahoe | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Patrick Wood | 1986 | Adams | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Brian Stansfield | 1986 | Logan | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Richard Borrego | 1986 | Jefferson | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Anthony Lucero | 1986 | Jefferson | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Phillip Andrade | 1986 | Weld | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Gary Davis | 1986 | Adams | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Executed |
| Joseph Landers | 1986 | Lincoln | White | Male | 2 | WM WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Stephen Sparks | 1986 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Ricky Saathoff | 1987 | Adams | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| John O’Neill | 1987 | Jefferson | White | Male | 1 | HM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| Michael Tenneson | 1987 | Denver | White | Male | 2 | HM HM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Ron White | 1987 | Pueblo | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| Timothy Vialpando | 1987 | Denver | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Marvin Walker | 1987 | Adams | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Ronald Pierce | 1987 | El Paso | White | Male | 2 | HM HM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| David Hisey | 1988 | Moffat | White | Male | 3 | WF WM WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Richard Cronin | 1988 | El Paso | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Stanley Jurgevich | 1988 | Routt | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Sharon Nelson #2 | 1988 | Adams | White | Female | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Gary Adams #2 | 1988 | Adams | White | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Kevin Fears | 1989 | Denver | Black | Male | 2 | WM WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Roger Young | 1989 | Denver | Black | Male | 2 | WM WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Joseph Young | 1989 | Denver | Black | Male | 2 | WM WM | Guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| Frank Orona | 1989 | El Paso | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Gary Newman | 1989 | Garfield | White | Male | 2 | WF WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| James Carroll | 1989 | El Paso | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Aggravated robbery | No | ||
| Michael G. Bell | 1990 | Boulder | White | Male | 4 | WM WM WM WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Brian Hood | 1990 | El Paso | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| Allen Thomas | 1991 | Adams | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Woodie Ashfield | 1991 | Pueblo | Black | Male | 1 | HF | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| James King | 1991 | Denver | White | Male | 4 | WM WM WM BM | Not guilty | Acquitted | No | ||
| Joseph Aguayo | 1991 | Gilpin | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Marvin Dennis Jr. | 1991 | Gilpin | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Jeffrey Alexander | 1992 | Denver | Black | Male | 3 | HM HF HF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Cory Zorn | 1992 | Adams | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Ruben Aragon | 1992 | Arapahoe | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HF | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Thomas Luther | 1993 | Jefferson | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Eugene Bayliss | 1993 | El Paso | White | Male | 2 | WM WM | Not guilty | Acquitted | No | ||
| Kevin Deon Smith | 1993 | Jefferson | Black | Male | 1 | BM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Andre Dumas | 1993 | Jefferson | Black | Male | 1 | BM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Kenyon Tolerton #2 | 1993 | Arapahoe | White | Male | 1 | WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Nathan Dunlap | 1993 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 4 | WF WF WF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | On death row |
| Robert Harlan | 1994 | Adams | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| Christopher Harris | 1994 | Jefferson | White | Male | 2 | BM WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Andrew Staton | 1995 | Summit | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Albert Petrosky | 1995 | Jefferson | White | Male | 3 | WF WM HM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Jon Morris | 1995 | Denver | Black | Male | 1 | BF | Guilty | Murder | No | ||
| Christopher Shetskie | 1995 | Arapahoe | White | Male | 2 | WF WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Ryan Sepolen | 1996 | Logan | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| George Woldt | 1997 | El Paso | Asian | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| Lucas Salmon | 1997 | El Paso | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Robert Riggan | 1997 | Jefferson | White | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Francisco Martinez | 1997 | Jefferson | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| Danny Martinez | 1997 | Jefferson | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Jacques Richardson | 1997 | Denver | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Nathan Thill | 1997 | Denver | White | Male | 1 | BM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| James Garner | 1998 | Douglas | White | Male | 3 | WM WF WF | Not guilty | Acquitted | No | ||
| Cong Van Than | 1998 | Denver | Asian | Male | 1 | AF AM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| William Cody Neal | 1998 | Jefferson | White | Male | 3 | WF WF WF | Guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| Randy Canister | 1998 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 3 | BM BF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Dante Owens | 1998 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 3 | BM BF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Trevon Washington | 1998 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 3 | BM BF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Abraham Hagos | 1998 | Denver | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Samnang Prim | 1998 | Denver | Asian | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| John Sweeney | 1998 | Adams | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Acquitted | No | ||
| Jesse Wilkinson | 1998 | Adams | White | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| Omar Ramirez | 1998 | Denver | Hispanic | Male | 2 | HM HF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Donta Page | 1999 | Denver | Black | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Anthony Albert | 1999 | El Paso | Black | Male | 1 | BM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Manuel Melina | 1999 | Adams | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HM | Not guilty | Criminal solicitation | No | ||
| Leandro Lopez | 1999 | Adams | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HM | Guilty | Conspiracy | No | ||
| Anthony Jimenez | 2000 | Teller | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Cruz Palomo | 2000 | Morgan | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HF | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Edward Robert Brown | 2001 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 1 | BM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Allen Bergerud | 2002 | Weld | White | Male | 2 | WF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Jimmy Vasquez | 2002 | Adams | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HF | Not guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Edward Montour | 2002 | Lincoln | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | Overturned on appeal |
| David Bueno | 2004 | Lincoln | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Alejandro Perez | 2004 | Lincoln | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Acquitted | No | ||
| Michael Medina | 2005 | Alamosa | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HM | Guilty | Child abuse resulting in death | No | ||
| Sir Mario Owens | 2005 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 2 | BM AF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | On death row |
| Robert Ray | 2005 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 2 | BM AF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to death | On death row |
| Jose Luis Rubi-Nava | 2006 | Douglas | Hispanic | Male | 1 | HF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Marco Lee | 2006 | El Paso | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Josiah Sher | 2011 | Douglas | White | Male | 2 | WM WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| James Holmes | 2012 | Arapahoe | White | Male | 12 | WM WM WM WM WM WM WM WM WF WF WF WF | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Miguel Alonso Contreras-Perez | 2012 | Crowley | Hispanic | Male | 1 | WF | Not guilty | Ongoing | Ongoing | ||
| Dexter Lewis | 2012 | Denver | Black | Male | 5 | AF WF WF WF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Brendan Johnson | 2014 | Logan | White | Male | 2 | WM WF | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Cassandra Rieb | 2014 | Logan | White | Female | 2 | WM WF | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Brandon Johnson | 2016 | Arapahoe | Black | Male | 1 | BM | Guilty | Murder I | No | ||
| Glen Galloway | 2016 | El Paso | White | Male | 2 | AF WM | Not guilty | Murder I | Yes | Sentenced to life | |
| Diego Chacon | 2017 | El Paso | Hispanic | Male | 2 | HF WM | Guilty | Murder II | No | ||
| Marco Antonio Garcia-Bravo | 2017 | El Paso | Hispanic | Male | 2 | HF WM | Not guilty | Ongoing | Ongoing | ||
| Dreion Dearing | 2018 | Adams | Black | Male | 1 | WM | Not guilty | Ongoing | Ongoing |
Source : Michael Radelet, University of Colorado | Compiled by : John Ingold, The Colorado Sun | Data design : Eric Lubbers, The Colorado Sun
Created on Glitch using DataTables. | Read more about the death penalty in Colorado at The Colorado Sun.