Inmates on Illinois' Death Row

* The information on this page is not warranted to be entirely factual. Also, we are not placing pictures of the inmates on this page out of respect for the victims' families

Anthony Mertz Sentenced to Death: February 26, 2003 Anthony Mertz is a former Eastern Illinois University student. He received the death penalty in February of 2003 from a Coles County court after he was convicted of killing Eastern student Shannon McNamara on June 12, 2001. Mertz was the first person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Curtis Thompson Sentenced to Death: August 5, 2003 Curtis Thompson was sentenced to death for the shooting deaths of three people, including a sheriff's deputy. The murder took place in the town of Toulon. Thompson was the subject of an American Justice documentary, the Bully of Toulon. Thompson was the second person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Ricardo Harris Sentenced to Death: February 9, 2004 Ricardo Harris robbed a liquor store, shot to death two employees (Dipak Patel and Ambalal Patel), and shot two customers (Christina Chisnick and Helen Chisnick) who did not die and identified him. Harris was an escapee from custody in Michigan on armed robbery charges. Ricardo Harris was the third person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Teodoro Baez Sentenced to Death: March 9, 2004 Teodoro Baez received the death penalty for killing Juan Estrada and Janet Mena in Cook County, Illinois. Baez was the fourth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Andrew Urdiales Sentenced to Death: May 24, 2004 Andrew Urdiales was sentenced to death for the 1996 murder of 21-year-old Cassandra Corum. The trial took place in Livingston County. Urdiales currently faces five murder charges in California. Urdiales was the fifth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Cecil Sutherland Sentenced to Death: June 18, 2004 Cecil Sutherland was sentenced to death for the murder of 10 year old Amy Schulz. Note: During the sentencing phase of the trial, Sutherland requested the death penalty. Sutherland was the sixth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Joseph Bannister Sentenced to Death: May 12, 2005 Joseph Bannister received the death penalty after he was convicted of killing Henrietta Banks in Cook County, Illinois. Bannister was the seventh person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Paul Runge Sentenced to Death: March 28, 2006 Paul Runge was sentenced to death for the murders of Yolanda Gutierrez and her 11-year old daughter, Jessica Muniz. Runge was the eighth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Dion Banks Sentenced to Death: May 26, 2006 Dion Banks received the death penalty after he was convicted of killing Rose Newburn in a botched car jacking in Cook County, Illinois. Banks was the ninth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Brian Nelson Sentenced to Death: October 13, 2006 Brian Nelson received the death penalty after he was convicted of killing his former girlfriend and three other people in Custer Park. Nelson was the tenth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Laurence Lovejoy Sentenced to Death: February 16, 2007 Laurence Lovejoy was sentenced to death for the murder of his stepdaughter, 16-year-old student Erin Justice. Lovejoy was the eleventh person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Daniel Ramsey Sentenced to Death: May 14, 2007 Daniel Ramsey received the death penalty after he was convicted of killing two girls and wounding his former girlfriend. Ramsey was the twelfth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Rodney Adkins Sentenced to Death: August 7, 2007 Rodney Adkins was sentenced to death on August 7, 2007, for the murder of Catherine McAvinchey in Oak Park, Illinois. Adkins was the thirteenth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Eric Hanson Sentenced to Death: February 27, 2008 Eric Hanson received the death penalty after he was convicted of killing his parents, sister, and brother-in-law in DuPage County, Illinois. Hanson was the fourteenth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.

Gary Pate Sentenced to Death: March 14, 2008 Gary Pate received the death penalty after he was convicted of killing his estranged wife and her daughter in White County, Illinois. Pate was the fifteenth person placed on Illinois' death row after the 2003 commutations.