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Richard Hackett Pennsylvania Death Row

Richard Hackett was sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania for a conspiracy for murder. According to court documents Richard Hackett conspired with other to kill Gregory Ogrod however when the murder took place it was Ogrod sixteen year old girlfriend Maureen Dunne would die. Richard Hackett would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Richard Hackett 2022 Information

Parole Number: 0226V
Age: 57
Date of Birth: 08/08/1964
Race/Ethnicity: WHITE
Height: 5′ 11″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: USA
Complexion: LIGHT
Current Location: PHOENIX

Richard Hackett More News

The Commonwealth charged Richard Hackett with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and related offenses and notified him of its intent to seek the death penalty in connection with the 1986 death of sixteen-year old Maureen Dunne, who was brutally stabbed while she lay sleeping in bed with her boyfriend, Gregory Ogrod.³ At Appellee’s 1988 trial, the Commonwealth presented evidence that Richard Hackett orchestrated a conspiracy to kill the victims with Marvin Spence, James Gray, and Keith Barrett. In the early morning hours of July 31, 1986, three men entered Ogrod’s home and repeatedly stabbed the couple and clubbed them with crowbars. Despite this unforeseen attack, Ogrod got up and fought off his assailants. Nevertheless, Dunne died from a stab wound to the heart. As the perpetrators fled, Ogrod recognized Spence as one of his attackers. Appellee, who lived in Ogrod’s home, knew Ogrod and Dunne were sleeping in the basement and was the only person, aside from Ogrod and his brother, who had a key to the home.

Although evidence showed Richard Hackett and Spence directed the conspiracy, the men wanted Ogrod killed for different reasons. Appellee’s aversion towards Ogrod developed in the spring of 1986 after Ogrod’s brother invited Appellee to live in the home he and Ogrod shared. Even though Appellee managed to live there rent free and stored equipment for his landscaping and snow removal business in Ogrod’s garage, Appellee did not get along with Ogrod. When Ogrod asked Appellee to move out in July 1986, Appellee threatened to throw Ogrod out of his own home if he did not “cool out.” Several days later, Appellee moved all of Ogrod’s belongings from his bedroom to the basement without his permission. In contrast, Spence wanted Ogrod killed as a result of a drug-related dispute. Once Appellee and Spence discovered their shared hatred for Ogrod, they worked together to bring their plan to have Ogrod killed to fruition.

Richard Hackett initially sought to hire an assassin to murder Ogrod. Appellee first contacted Edgar Torres to find a hitman “to bump someone off for money.” When Torres asserted this task would cost him considerable money, Appellee assured Torres he would pay. Appellee subsequently gave Torres photographs of the victims and met with alleged assassins. Eventually, Torres told Appellee he could not find an individual for the job and refused to participate in Appellee’s plan. Appellee and Spence offered another potential hitman named David Carter $5,000 to kill Ogrod and Dunne. While Carter initially agreed to this plan, Appellee and Spence’s contract with Carter fell through as the men could not agree on the manner in which Carter would kill the victims.

At trial, several witnesses connected Richard Hackett to the attack on Ogrod and Dunne, which occurred at 4:00 a.m. on July 31, 1986. Jeffrey Horoschak stated that when he called Ogrod’s home at 1:45 a .m. that morning, Appellee told him Ogrod was asleep. Edward May testified that at 3:30 a.m., he gave a ride to Spence, Barrett, and Gray to a location near Ogrod’s home, where the men met with a fourth individual who resembled Appellee and drove a truck similar to the one Appellee owned. Appellee’s girlfriend, Wendy Rosenblum, testified that, at 5:00 a.m., Appellee called to tell her Ogrod was dead and came to her apartment through the basement, visibly shaking and sweating.

Appellee’s subsequent conduct suggested he had facilitated the attack. Rosenblum claimed Appellee asked her to tell police he had been at her apartment all night and ordered her to obtain and destroy the photographs of the victims he had given to Torres to identify the individuals he wanted killed. Rosenblum stated that, a week after the murders occurred, she saw Appellee take a crowbar out of the basement of her apartment, conceal it in his pants, and throw it in a nearby dumpster.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/pa-supreme-court/1676139.html

Francis Harris Pennsylvania Death Row

Francis Harris was sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania for the murder of a man in order to prevent him from testifying. According to court documents Francis Harris girlfriend lured the victim to a restaurant where he would be attacked by Harris who would ultimately slit his throat with a hunting knife. Francis Harris would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

Francis Harris 2022 Information

Parole Number: DL0556
Age: 54
Date of Birth: 02/11/1967
Race/Ethnicity: WHITE
Height: 6′ 04″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: USA
Complexion: LIGHT
Current Location: PHOENIX

Francis Harris More News

Francis B. Harris, 37, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on May 13.

He was convicted in 1997 of killing Daryl Martin, 22, of Lancaster, to prevent Martin from testifying in an assault case.

“This was a premeditated and extremely brutal murder,” said Lancaster County District Attorney Donald Totaro.

“There are not too many cases where a jury comes back with a sentence of death, and this is one of the few we’ve seen in Lancaster County.”

The state Supreme Court turned down Harris’ appeal in November 2002, and late last year the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case.

According to testimony during Harris’ trial, his girlfriend, Kimberly Kistler, telephoned Martin on Nov. 3, 1996, at the request of Harris.

Kistler arranged to meet Martin at the Tobias S. Frogg restaurant, 1766 Columbia Ave.

Harris and Kistler went to the restaurant, waited for Martin and watched as Martin went inside. Harris then slashed a tire on Martin’s car.

When Martin left the restaurant, he pulled into the parking lot of the former Dunkin Donuts next to Tobias S. Frogg to fix the flat.

Harris ambushed and overpowered Martin, cutting his throat with a hunting knife.

About 10 days after the murder, Harris was in Lancaster County Court to plead guilty to assaulting Martin during an altercation outside a Lancaster nightclub in August 1995.

Martin was supposed to testify against Harris in the case.

Kistler eventually told police of her involvement in Martin’s killing and testified against Harris at his trial.

For her role in the killing, Kistler, 32, was convicted of third-degree murder in 1998 and sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison.

Harris is one of five men on Pennsylvania’s death row after being convicted of killings in Lancaster County. The others are Orlando Baez, Robert Zook, Kevin Dowling and Landon May.

Rendell has signed 15 execution warrants since taking office last year.

Since 1995, 282 execution warrants have been signed, and 229 people are currently on death row. Three executions have been carried out over the past nine years, the most recent in July 1999.

Despite Harris’ May 13 execution date, Totaro said the signing of a death warrant typically triggers a “lengthy” appeal process. He said he does not expect the execution to be carried out as scheduled.

Totaro said his office planned to contact members of Martin’s family Monday to notify them of the signing of Harris’ death warrant. He was not certain Monday night if contact had been made.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/witness-killer-gets-date-for-execution/article_8a7ae1b1-05ec-5563-85e2-13a43db60e43.html

Sheldon Hannibal Pennsylvania Death Row

Sheldon Hannibal was sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania for a murder . According to court documents Sheldon Hannibal was involved in an argument with the victim over a gold chain when Hannibal would pistol whip the victim and executed him. Sheldon Hannibal would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Sheldon Hannibal 2022 Information

Parole Number: CG5771
Age: 49
Date of Birth: 01/08/1972
Race/Ethnicity: BLACK
Height: 6′ 00″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: UNKNOWN
Complexion: DARK
Current Location: PHOENIX

Sheldon Hannibal More News

The facts pertinent to the current appeal are that on October 25, 1992, appellant and codefendant, Larry Gregory, following an argument with the victim, Peter LaCourt, about the authenticity of a gold chain, took the chain and pistol-whipped LaCourt. LaCourt attempted to flee but stopped when appellant threatened to shoot him. LaCourt dropped to his knees, put his hands behind his head and appellant shot him six times, killing him. Fifteen-year-old Tanesha Robinson witnessed the robbery and beating, heard the gunshots as she fled the scene, and later gave a statement to police implicating appellant and codefendant. She also testified at their preliminary hearings. On August 4, 1993, however, she and two of her female friends were murdered execution-style (via close-range gunshots to the head) in an apartment located in the same housing development where LaCourt was murdered.

Appellant and codefendant were charged with the murder of LaCourt and were tried together. At trial, two witnesses testified concerning a plot to murder Robinson to prevent her from testifying at trial. Terrence Richardson testified he was present when codefendant and his brother gave two other men a .357 revolver and paid them $2,000 to kill Robinson, directing them to “be fast about it” and “don’t leave [any] witnesses.” N.T. 3/3/94 at 73. James Buigi testified he shared a prison cell with appellant in the fall of 1993 and appellant confided to him he shot and killed LaCourt during a robbery. Appellant additionally confided to Buigi he told “his friends” he needed Robinson “out of the way” because she was “the only witness that can hurt me in the trial.” N.T. 2/28/94 at 122. Appellant told Buigi “my boys are loyal to me. They took care of that for me.” Id. Appellant explained to Buigi his boys “found [Robinson] and shot her,” and they killed the other females in the apartment because “they [were] not going to leave two witnesses behind [.]” Id. at 123.

Appellant testified at trial he did not know LaCourt or remember where he was on the night LaCourt was murdered; he did not have an altercation with LaCourt; he did not take a chain from him; he did not own a gun or shoot LaCourt; he never shared a cell with Buigi and never discussed anything with him. Appellant also presented three character witnesses who testified to his reputation as a peaceful, law-abiding citizen. The witnesses were cross-examined regarding their knowledge of appellant’s criminal record.

The jury convicted appellant and codefendant of first-degree murder.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/pa-supreme-court/1755196.html

Kenneth Hairston Pennsylvania Death Row

Kenneth Hairston was sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania for a double murder. According to court documents Kenneth Hairston would murder his wife before starting a fire in the home. Kenneth Hairston son suffered two cardiac arrests during the fire and would pass away. Kenneth Hairston would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death,

Kenneth Hairston 2022 Information

Parole Number: 673FQ
Age: 70
Date of Birth: 06/17/1951
Race/Ethnicity: BLACK
Height: 5′ 08″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: USA
Complexion: MEDIUM
Current Location: PHOENIX

Kenneth Hairston More News

On May 20, 2000, Appellant’s stepdaughter, Chetia Hurtt, and her boyfriend, Jeffrey Johnson, returned to Hurtt’s apartment from a movie to discover several voicemail messages left by Kenneth Hairston, questioning where Hurtt was and when she would be home. Hurtt, 21, had known Appellant since he married her mother when Hurtt was five years old, and had lived under the same roof as Appellant, her mother (Katherine Hairston), Appellant’s autistic son (Sean Hairston), and her grandmother (Goldie Hurtt), until Hurtt moved out approximately one month earlier. During Hurtt’s adolescence, her relationship with Appellant deteriorated. Appellant prohibited Hurtt from socializing with males and frequently threatened that he would kill her and the rest of her family.

Bothered by the phone messages that May evening, Hurtt asked Johnson to spend the night. The following morning, May 21, 2000, Kenneth Hairston arrived at Hurtt’s apartment with a handgun, which he was not licensed to carry. After being let into the apartment, Appellant instructed Hurtt to tell Johnson to leave. When Hurtt did not comply, Appellant threatened to kill Hurtt, Johnson, and himself, and stated that he would not go to jail. Despite Hurtt’s protests that Johnson should stay-for fear of what might happen should he leave-Johnson left the apartment. Appellant pointed the gun at Hurtt’s face and said, “If you’re going to be F’ing anybody, it’s going to be me.” N.T., 04/15/2002, at 52. Hurtt pleaded with Appellant not to hurt her, but he took her into the bedroom. Appellant removed his clothes and tried to remove Hurtt’s clothes, but she resisted.

Meanwhile, Johnson stopped Sergeant William Gorman of the Pittsburgh Police Department and explained what was occurring. The police went to the apartment and announced their presence. Kenneth Hairston pulled the ammunition clip out of the gun, threw it behind the door, and slid the gun underneath the bed. Hurtt escaped through the front door of the apartment. The police found a half-naked Appellant in the apartment. He claimed that he lived in the apartment with his daughter and came home to find her with Johnson. A Bryco-Arms 0.380 semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the bedroom. Appellant, yelling, “I can’t go to jail,” broke away from police as they were bringing him out of the apartment building. Appellant then jumped headfirst off a small roof to the ground fifteen-to-twenty feet below. Appellant got back on his feet and again began yelling, “I can’t go to jail. I’m not going to jail.” Id. at 91. As a result of these events, criminal charges were filed against Appellant.

One year later, in the morning hours of June 11, 2001, Kenneth Hairston called the dispatcher at the school bus company that transported Sean Hairston, who was autistic, to school and requested that the bus not pick up Sean. Appellant spoke separately with two neighbors outside of his home that morning, each of whom noticed that Appellant smelled of alcohol and was very agitated. Appellant told both neighbors that he was upset about his stepdaughter’s accusations, telling one neighbor that he would not go back to jail and that if he had to go to jail he “would probably do [him]self in.” Id. at 102.

Shortly thereafter, thick black smoke was seen coming out of Appellant’s home. Firefighters who reported to the scene found both the front and back doors locked and barricaded. Finally, the firefighters gained entry. They discovered that the house was covered in garbage bags and debris. They retrieved Sean, who was lying underneath bags and debris, on the living room couch. His face and head were covered with a blanket. He was brought outside alive to paramedics. However, he died while being treated at the hospital after suffering two cardiac arrests. The injuries leading to his death were two or three incidents of blunt force trauma to his head.

Firefighters re-entered the house and found Kenneth Hairston inside the kitchen, at the top of the basement stairwell. Appellant had several puncture wounds to his chest and a laceration on the right side of his neck. He was extremely combative with paramedics, and had to be restrained with handcuffs and stretcher straps, then ultimately paralytic drugs, before being transported to the hospital.

Firefighters also found Katherine in the kitchen. She was found with a hole in the side of her head, and was dead weight upon being brought out of the house. Toxicology screening showed no evidence of carbon monoxide or cyanide in her blood stream. Goldie Hurtt, who had previously suffered three strokes and a heart attack, was found incapacitated in an upstairs bedroom and was removed safely from the house.

In the kitchen, police found a large amount of blood in front of the refrigerator. Two knives were found in the kitchen. Sheets and bedding materials were found on the floors and counters. Four days after the fire, the Hairston family dog was found covered by debris in the basement and tied to a pole.

Police interviewed Kenneth Hairston at the hospital where, because he was wearing an oxygen mask, he could communicate only by indicating simple yes or no responses. Appellant indicated that he knew who started the fire, that he killed his wife, and that his motivation for the killing and the fire were the impending charges against him. Appellant also indicated that those charges against him were untrue.

On June 19, 2001, police again interviewed Kenneth Hairston. He gave both an oral and a taped statement. He explained that he wrapped a ten-pound sledgehammer in a pillowcase and intentionally struck his wife with it from behind as she sat on their bed. He struck her a second time, then dragged her from their first-floor sleeping area into the kitchen. Appellant also confessed that, minutes later, he struck his son Sean with the sledgehammer twice. After hearing moans in the kitchen, he struck Katherine again with the weapon. Appellant stated that he left the house with the weapon, drove to a local bar, where he consumed two double-shots and two beers, then discarded the sledgehammer in a wooded area. Appellant then drove home and poured gasoline over the basement floor. According to Appellant, flames from the water heater ignited the gasoline before he was ready to ignite them. He then got a knife, stabbed himself twice in the chest, and then lay down next to his wife’s body. Appellant went on to explain that he intentionally piled items throughout the house to ensure that the fire indeed killed everyone: “I just wanted to make sure that we were gone.” Transcript of Appellant’s taped interview, dated June 19, 2001, at 6. Appellant then revealed to police the location of the sledgehammer, which tested positive for blood.

Appellant was charged with two counts of criminal homicide. He was appointed counsel, and his jury trial began on April 15, 2002. On April 17, 2002, the jury convicted Appellant on both counts of first-degree murder. At the close of the penalty phase, Appellant was sentenced to death for each murder conviction.² The trial court formally imposed sentence on July 11, 2002.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/pa-supreme-court/1499409.html

Daniel Gwynn Pennsylvania Death Row

Daniel Gwynn was sentenced to death by the State of Pennsylvania for the murder of a woman. According to court documents Daniel Gwynn was upset he had been kicked out of an abandoned building by squatters. The next morning Daniel Gwynn would set fire to the building killing one of the women inside. Daniel Gwynn would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

Daniel Gwynn 2022 Information

Parole Number: 884AH
Age: 51
Date of Birth: 01/12/1970
Race/Ethnicity: BLACK
Height: 5′ 09″
Gender: MALE
Citizenship: USA
Complexion: DARK
Current Location: PHOENIX

Daniel Gwynn More News

On November 19, 1994, at approximately 6:00 a.m., Daniel Gwynn went into an abandoned building where he had formerly lived with several squatters. He forcibly entered the third floor apartment shared by Donald Minnick and Marsha Smith, the deceased victim. Daniel Gwynn said Mr. Minnick could leave but that Ms. Smith had to stay. Mr. Minnick left to get help from the other occupants of the third floor and when they returned they saw that Ms. Smith’s mouth was bloody and she was crying. Daniel Gwynn then punched Mr. Minnick and a fight ensued. Mr. Minnick and the other occupants then evicted appellant from the building. As appellant left, he said “I’ll get you one way or another, all of you․ I will get all of you. If I can’t stay in the building, none of you can stay in the building.”

The next morning at about 6:00 a.m., the occupants of the building were awakened to shouts of fire. Ms. Smith was in such a panic that she could not jump out of the third floor window to a pile of trash below and, therefore, she died in the fire.³ All of the other occupants were able to escape from the burning building with varying degrees of injury.

The evidence showed a fire had been set. Gasoline had been poured under two apartment doors, down the stairs leading from the fourth floor, underneath the stairs between the third and fourth floors and down the third floor hallways. The gasoline was then ignited. The fire had been set in such a way that fire blocked the stairs from the third floor apartments. Gwynn later confessed that he had poured the gasoline and ignited the fire, allegedly accidentally.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/pa-supreme-court/1313223.html