George Ronald York (February 6, 1943 – June 22, 1965) and James Douglas Latham (April 21, 1942 – June 22, 1965) were an American spree killer duo who are the most recent people to be legally executed by the U.S. state of Kansas.
George York and James Latham
Booking photos of York and Latham in Utah on June 10, 1961
In late 1959, York and Latham met at Fort Hood, Texas, where both were privates in the United States Army. Latham had come to Fort Hood from Fort Carson, Colorado, where he had undergone basic training between May and July 1959. In May 1961 York and Latham (aged 18 and 19 at the time, respectively) went AWOL and decided to travel to York's hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. On May 26, they encountered Edward J. Guidroz in Mix, Louisiana. York and Latham badly beat him and stole his truck. On May 29, they met Althea Ottavio and Patricia Hewett, visitors from Georgia, in Jacksonville, where they had spent the day, shopping. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, York and Latham strangled both women with their own stockings, stole their money, and dumped the car they had been driving in a ditch.[2]
On June 6, York and Latham attempted to rob a man in a Cadillac near Aiken, South Carolina, but the shots they fired at him missed, and their would-be victim escaped. On June 7, York and Latham murdered John Whittaker in Tullahoma, Tennessee. They took Whittaker's car and abandoned the first truck they had stolen.
On June 8, York and Latham abandoned Whittaker's car near Troy, Illinois, and hitched a ride from a passerby named Albert Reed. They murdered Reed, dumped his body in a creek, and commandeered his car.
Several miles outside of Edwardsville, Illinois, York and Latham killed gas station owner Martin Drenovac, and stole gas and money from the station. They continued their cross-country killing spree in Wallace, Kansas where on June 9, they shot 62-year-old Otto Ziegler to death, then took his wallet. On June 10 in Craig, Colorado, they killed 18-year-old motel maid Rachel Moyer, dumping her body and her few belongings in a ravine.
Later on June 10, 1961, York and Latham were arrested in Tooele County, Utah, for violating the federal National Motor Vehicle Theft Act, which prohibited transportation of a stolen vehicle across state lines within the United States. On June 11, York and Latham bragged to investigators that they had killed eight or nine people since they left Fort Hood. Police later learned that nine people were attacked by York and Latham, but two of them had survived. York and Latham claimed that being placed in a mixed-race unit in the army led to their desire to desert.[3]
Execution loomed over the pair in a number of different states; had they been tried by Florida, Illinois or Tennessee, they would have most likely been electrocuted. Had they been tried by Colorado, they would have most likely been gassed. Ultimately, they were tried by Kansas, where hanging was the prescribed method of execution.
Trial and imprisonment
York and Latham were tried in Kansas for the killing of Ziegler. They were convicted by a jury and sentenced to death by Judge Benedict P. Cruise on November 8, 1961.[4] While on death row in Kansas, York and Latham associated with Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, the subjects of Truman Capote's book In Cold Blood. York and Latham's crimes are described in Capote's book, and the men are portrayed in the work as flippant, snide, and lacking any degree of remorse.[5]
Executions
York and Latham were executed by hanging at Kansas State Penitentiary (now known as Lansing Correctional Facility) on June 22, 1965.[6][7] Latham was executed first, followed by York. Latham's last words were "I'm not mad at anybody." York's last words were "There is nothing to say but that I'm going to heaven."[8]
Since their execution, no one has been put to death by the state of Kansas, although a number of prisoners have been sentenced to death. York and Latham were also the last persons executed by hanging in the United States until 1993, when the state of Washington hanged Westley Allan Dodd.
^"Lawrence Journal-World - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
^"2 GIs Who Boasted Killing 7 To Hang for Killing One Man". Eugene Register-Guard. November 8, 1961.
^Michael Wilson, R. (2014-01-10). Legal Executions in Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma Including the Indian Territory: A Comprehensive Registry. ISBN9780786489091.
^"Killers executed in Kansas". The Dispatch. Lexington, KS. June 22, 1965.
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For the Archdeacon of Mawhera and of Marlborough see George York priest George Ronald York February 6 1943 June 22 1965 and James Douglas Latham April 21 1942 June 22 1965 were an American spree killer duo who are the most recent people to be legally executed by the U S state of Kansas George York and James LathamBooking photos of York and Latham in Utah on June 10 1961BornGeorge Ronald YorkFebruary 6 1943Jacksonville Florida U S James Douglas LathamApril 21 1942Mauriceville Texas U S DiedGeorge YorkApril 22 1965 aged 22 Kansas State Penitentiary Lansing Kansas U S James LathamApril 22 1965 aged 23 Kansas State Penitentiary Lansing Kansas U S Cause of deathExecution by hangingConviction s First degree murderCriminal penaltyDeathDetailsSpan of crimesMay 26 June 10 1961CountryUnited StatesState s Florida Tennessee Illinois Kansas and ColoradoKilled7Injured1WeaponsStockings 38 Colt revoler 22 EIG Derringer 1 Date apprehendedJune 10 1961 Contents 1 Killing spree 2 Arrest and confession 3 Trial and imprisonment 4 Executions 5 Victims 6 See also 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksKilling spree EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed April 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message In late 1959 York and Latham met at Fort Hood Texas where both were privates in the United States Army Latham had come to Fort Hood from Fort Carson Colorado where he had undergone basic training between May and July 1959 In May 1961 York and Latham aged 18 and 19 at the time respectively went AWOL and decided to travel to York s hometown of Jacksonville Florida On May 26 they encountered Edward J Guidroz in Mix Louisiana York and Latham badly beat him and stole his truck On May 29 they met Althea Ottavio and Patricia Hewett visitors from Georgia in Jacksonville where they had spent the day shopping According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation York and Latham strangled both women with their own stockings stole their money and dumped the car they had been driving in a ditch 2 On June 6 York and Latham attempted to rob a man in a Cadillac near Aiken South Carolina but the shots they fired at him missed and their would be victim escaped On June 7 York and Latham murdered John Whittaker in Tullahoma Tennessee They took Whittaker s car and abandoned the first truck they had stolen On June 8 York and Latham abandoned Whittaker s car near Troy Illinois and hitched a ride from a passerby named Albert Reed They murdered Reed dumped his body in a creek and commandeered his car Several miles outside of Edwardsville Illinois York and Latham killed gas station owner Martin Drenovac and stole gas and money from the station They continued their cross country killing spree in Wallace Kansas where on June 9 they shot 62 year old Otto Ziegler to death then took his wallet On June 10 in Craig Colorado they killed 18 year old motel maid Rachel Moyer dumping her body and her few belongings in a ravine Arrest and confession EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Later on June 10 1961 York and Latham were arrested in Tooele County Utah for violating the federal National Motor Vehicle Theft Act which prohibited transportation of a stolen vehicle across state lines within the United States On June 11 York and Latham bragged to investigators that they had killed eight or nine people since they left Fort Hood Police later learned that nine people were attacked by York and Latham but two of them had survived York and Latham claimed that being placed in a mixed race unit in the army led to their desire to desert 3 Execution loomed over the pair in a number of different states had they been tried by Florida Illinois or Tennessee they would have most likely been electrocuted Had they been tried by Colorado they would have most likely been gassed Ultimately they were tried by Kansas where hanging was the prescribed method of execution Trial and imprisonment EditYork and Latham were tried in Kansas for the killing of Ziegler They were convicted by a jury and sentenced to death by Judge Benedict P Cruise on November 8 1961 4 While on death row in Kansas York and Latham associated with Richard Hickock and Perry Smith the subjects of Truman Capote s book In Cold Blood York and Latham s crimes are described in Capote s book and the men are portrayed in the work as flippant snide and lacking any degree of remorse 5 Executions EditYork and Latham were executed by hanging at Kansas State Penitentiary now known as Lansing Correctional Facility on June 22 1965 6 7 Latham was executed first followed by York Latham s last words were I m not mad at anybody York s last words were There is nothing to say but that I m going to heaven 8 Since their execution no one has been put to death by the state of Kansas although a number of prisoners have been sentenced to death York and Latham were also the last persons executed by hanging in the United States until 1993 when the state of Washington hanged Westley Allan Dodd Victims EditMay 26 Edward J Guidroz survived May 29 Althea Ottavio and Patricia Hewett June 6 Unnamed man survived June 7 John Whittaker June 8 Albert Reed and Martin Drenovac June 9 Otto Zeigler June 10 Rachel MoyerSee also EditCapital punishment in Kansas List of most recent executions by jurisdiction List of people executed in KansasReferences Edit James Latham and George York True Crime Library 20 October 2015 Poling Dean Killer s sister In Cold Blood inaccurate The Valdosta Daily Times Lawrence Journal World Google News Archive Search news google com Retrieved 2022 08 06 2 GIs Who Boasted Killing 7 To Hang for Killing One Man Eugene Register Guard November 8 1961 Michael Wilson R 2014 01 10 Legal Executions in Nebraska Kansas and Oklahoma Including the Indian Territory A Comprehensive Registry ISBN 9780786489091 Killers executed in Kansas The Dispatch Lexington KS June 22 1965 Killers Repent Before Execution The Free Lance Star June 23 1965 The Deseret News Google News Archive Search news google com Retrieved 2022 02 06 Bibliography Edit 2 Soldiers tell of murdering 7 The New York Times 12 June 1961 p 19 Capote Truman Capote 1966 In Cold Blood New York Vintage Books Capote Truman 16 October 1965 In Cold Blood The Corner Part IV New Yorker p 62 Murder trail left by youths police claim The Age 13 June 1961 p 8 Two Hanged in Kansas After Slaying 7 Persons The New York Times 23 June 1965 p 21 External links Edit James Latham and George York True Crime Library World Wide Hangings June Archived from the original on December 2 2010 George York and James Latham Serial Killer Central Archived from the original on January 5 2010 George Ronald York at Find a GravePreceded byPerry Edward Smith 1965 Executions carried out in Kansas Succeeded byNonePreceded by Perry Edward Smith Kansas 1965 Executions carried out in the United States Succeeded byAndrew Pixley Wyoming 1965 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George York and James Latham amp oldid 1156219468, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
