The Most Famous Inmates Sent To San Quentin State Prison

Established in 1852 and opening in 1854, San Quentin State Prison is now the oldest of its kind across the state of California. Here, it’s the only place in California where male inmates receive capital punishment, something that once took place in the prison’s famous gas chamber.

It’s not just the prison itself that’s so well-known across the world; the most famous inmates sent to San Quentin State Prison have kept people talking throughout the years. Their crimes come in all shapes and sizes, but the four walls of their cells most certainly don’t change.

Charles Ng is still waiting for his capital punishment at San Quentin State Prison

• Crime: Torture, assault, and ending the lives of between 11 and 25 people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he was born in Hong Kong, Charles Ng moved to the US and eventually terrorized California. Here, Charles built a homemade dungeon after he was dishonorably discharged from the Marines and would regularly kidnap men, women, and children. Apparently, the men and children would instantly lose their lives. Tragically, the women were often assaulted and tortured first.

Eventually, Charles was convicted of ending 11 of the 12 accused lives, but he could have ended as many as 25 people’s lives before he was caught. When he wasn’t in court, Charles had to be held in a metal cage for everyone’s safety, especially when he was sentenced to capital punishment in a trial that cost California $20 million.

Charles Manson had his sentence commuted but still passed away behind bars

• Crime: Conspiracy to and ending the lives of at least seven people
• Sentence: Capital punishment commuted to life imprisonment

Charles Manson might be one of the most famous criminals of all time, largely thanks to the status of his victims. After all, he was the one to start the Family cult, the ones who ultimately ended the life of pregnant actress Sharon Tate. Sadly, things didn’t end there, with Manson eventually convicted of ending seven people’s lives.

While there has been great debate about how much Manson was involved with the actual crimes - and if there were even more victims who lost their lives to the Family - he was still initially handed capital punishment and sent to San Quentin State Prison, among other prisons. This was later commuted to life imprisonment before Manson passed away in 2017.

The true extent of Chester Turner’s crimes was only revealed when he was arrested for assault

• Crime: Assault and ending the lives of at least 14 women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Charles Turner spent most of his life homeless, but he was sentenced to eight years when he was found guilty of assaulting a woman earlier in the year. However, it was here that DNA evidence eventually linked Turner to the assault and ending of several unsolved crimes. By 2007, he was sentenced to capital punishment for ending ten lives.

Then, in 2014, he earned another capital punishment sentence for ending another four women’s lives and the unborn child of one of his victims. Before he was identified, Turner was largely known as The Southside Slayer. There is a chance that Turner could have ended even more lives, but he is still waiting at San Quentin for his punishment.

Eldridge Cleaver was sentenced to time at San Quentin before joining the Black Panther Party

• Crime: Assault and assault with the intent of ending someone’s life
• Sentence: Eight years in prison and five years of parole

While Eldridge Cleaver might be better known for being one of the early leaders of the Black Panthers, there was a time when he was a prisoner at San Quentin State Prison. That moment came when Cleaver was in his early 20s. He had already been in trouble with the law as a teenager and served time related to narcotics.

However, in 1958, he was found guilty of assault and assault with the intent of ending someone’s life before he was sent to San Quentin. Here, he served eight years behind bars and had several years of parole all before he joined the Black Panther Party when it was just two months old and really helped to shape the organization.

Hans Reiser lessened his sentence when he agreed to reveal the location of his wife's body

• Crime: Ending his wife's life in the second-degree
• Sentence: 15 years to life imprisonment

For years, Hans Reiser was best known for his work as a computer programmer creating the ReiserFS computer file system, which has been used ever since. However, in 2008, he was convicted of ending his wife Nina's life after she disappeared in 2006. Initially, Reiser pleaded not guilty and went to trial, but that later changed.

To start, Reiser was found guilty of ending Nina's life in the first degree, but that was commuted to second degree when he agreed to tell the police the location of her body. Reiser's new sentence will see him behind bars for 15 years to life, with his parole refused in 2022, and the next hearing is up in 2027.

Cary Stayner could be linked to even more crimes, but this has never been proven

• Crime: Ending the lives of four women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

When Steven Stayner was seven years old, he was kidnapped by Kenneth Parnell and held until he was 14, when he finally escaped with another of Parnell’s victims. Sadly, his older brother, Cary Stayner, also ended up caught up in crimes, but this time, as the criminal. Eventually, he was convicted of ending four women’s lives in 1999.

Following his arrest, Stayner was suspected of ending at least five other people’s lives due to the similarities of the crimes, but these have never been proven. Initially, Stayner pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, a jury didn’t buy his version of events, and Stayner was sentenced to capital punishment and still sits in San Quentin today.

Leo Gordon spent his five years at San Quentin reading almost every book in the library

• Crime: Armed robbery
• Sentence: Five years

For over four decades, Leo Gordon was one of the most prominent character actors of his time. After all, he would often play the brutish bad guys in movies and TV shows, earning a host of fans along the way. Still, one thing many people don’t know is that Gordon was also convicted of taking part in an armed robbery.

The moment came after he was honorably discharged from the Army during WWII when Gordon attempted to rob a bar and the patrons inside. He was shot by an officer at the scene and ultimately sentenced to five years at San Quentin. Here, Gordon furthered his education by reading almost every one of the prison’s library books before his release.

Stanley Williams spent over two decades waiting for his capital punishment

• Crime: Ending the lives of four people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Co-founding the Crips, the famous Los Angeles gang that is still prevalent today, saw Stanley Williams become one of the most infamous men in the city. Unfortunately, it was his ties to the gang that saw Williams caught up in two robberies, which ended the lives of four people, with Williams convicted of all four and sentenced to capital punishment.

Ultimately, Williams spent over two decades waiting for his punishment, but things were far from easy at San Quentin. For one, the multiple attacks on guards meant that he spent almost six years in solitary confinement throughout the late ‘80s. Williams was also seriously injured when he was stabbed by another inmate before his ultimate punishment in 2005.

Rattlesnake James was the final person in California to have to hang as his capital punishment

• Crime: Assault and ending his wife's life
• Sentence: Capital punishment

He might be named Major Raymond Lisenba, but it wasn't long before most people knew this man by another: Rattlesnake James. Things were never particularly easy for the man, especially when it came to his love life, as he was married six times before everything came crashing down with the end of Mary Emma Busch's life.

James was accused and charged with taking her life to collect Mary's life insurance. There are also claims that he might have ended the lives of his fourth wife and his nephew to get their life insurance policies, too. Ultimately, James became the final person to lose their life in California through hanging when his sentence came in 1942.

Theodore Durrant maintained his innocence despite the evidence against him

• Crime: Ending the lives of two people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he maintained his innocence, Theodore Durrant was ultimately found guilty of ending the lives of two women before he was sentenced to capital punishment, eventually losing his life in 1898 at 26 years old. After all, he was the last person to be seen with Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams before they disappeared and were later discovered.

That moment came when women at the church were setting up for Easter Sunday, only to find the mutilated body of Minnie in a cabinet. After searching the entire church, they eventually found Blanche’s remains in the bell tower. As Durrant had tried to sell some of Blanche’s jewelry and was last seen with them, he was found guilty.

David Carpenter could be involved in more crimes than the ones he is convicted of

• Crime: Assault, stalking, and ending the lives of at least eight people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

In 1960, everything changed for David Carpenter. This was the year he attempted to take the life of Louis Rinna, the mother of Lisa Rinna. He spent seven years in prison, followed by another seven when he was arrested for kidnapping in 1970. Eventually, Carpenter was suspected of being Zodiac, but he was later cleared. Sadly, his crimes didn’t end.

Eventually, Carpenter was convicted of ending the lives of eight people, with one conviction overturned and later reinstated. However, he is suspected of ending the lives of at least two more people. He was later sentenced to capital punishment through the gas chamber but still remains at San Quentin State Prison today at 93 years old.

Robert Alton Harris ended the lives of two teenage boys before he was promptly arrested

• Crime: Ending the lives of two teenagers
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Sometimes, people earn titles they would much rather avoid. That was the case for Robert Alton Harris, who became the first person in California to lose their life to capital punishment since 1967 when he passed away in 1992. That was due to the fact he ended the lives of two 16-year-old boys, Michael Baker and John Mayeski.

Harris was joined by his younger brother as they stole a car occupied by the two boys before ordering them to drive to a remote area where they ended their lives. One of the arresting officers was actually Michael's father, but he didn’t realize this until later. Eventually, Alton was sentenced to capital punishment at San Quentin.

Stephen Wayne Anderson remained at the crime scene to eat, leading to his arrest

• Crime: Ending at least one woman’s life
• Sentence: Capital punishment

In 1980, Stephen Wayne Anderson broke into 81-year-old Elizabeth Lyman’s home after cutting her phone lines only to discover that she was home. In a seeming panic, Anderson shot Elizabeth, a wound that would eventually claim her life. After stealing $100, Anderson made a meal and was apprehended by the cops at Elizabeth’s home after a call from a neighbor.

Although he was sentenced to capital punishment at San Quentin State Prison, Anderson later confessed or was linked to ending the lives of at least eight other people, including one inmate. Anderson admitted that he was a contract hitman, but he was never charged with these crimes. He faced his final punishment in 2002 at 48 years old.

Art Pepper continually had to pause his career due to his narcotics addiction

• Crime: Narcotics crimes
• Sentence: Various months and years in prison

For most of his life, Art Pepper was known as a jazz musician. After all, he was a talented saxophone player and rose to fame as a part of Stan Kenton’s big band. Sadly, there was also something much darker going on in Pepper’s personal life. After all, he was constantly planning comebacks after getting sent to prison multiple times.

All of these had to do with narcotics as Pepper became addicted to illegal substances, earning him several stays behind bars. Two of these, from 1961 to 1964 and 1964 to 1965, were served at San Quentin. Here, Pepper continued with his passion as he was known to play in an ensemble with fellow saxophonist Frank Morgan regularly.

Mack Ray Edwards took his own life while waiting for his punishment at San Quentin State Prison

• Crime: Assault and ending the lives of at least six children
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For three years, Mack Ray Edwards assaulted and ended the lives of three children. Even though his crime spree ended in 1956, Edwards spent another year assaulting and ending the lives of three more children between 1968 and ‘69. Still, he was only ever convicted of three crimes, as the other bodies were never recovered.

Before he was transferred to San Quentin, Edwards claimed he had actually ended the lives of somewhere between 18 and 22 children, but he later went back on his statement. Once at San Quentin, Edwards was in a cell next to Charles Manson as he waited for his capital punishment. However, he took his own life in 1971.

William Suff horrifically mutilated most of his victims before and after they lost their lives

• Crime: Assault, torture, and ending the lives of at least 12 women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Tragically, there was a time when William Suff was already meant to spend his life behind bars. In 1974, Suff - alongside his wife, but her conviction was overturned - was found guilty of beating his two-month-old daughter until she lost her life. He was sentenced to 70 years but served 10 before he was released. That’s when the other crimes began.

For two years, Suff ended the lives of at least 12 women and attempted to end the life of another, but that might not be all. Several other crimes have been linked to Suff, but he hasn’t been charged with ending their lives. Most of his victims were horrifically mutilated, but Suff still awaits his capital punishment at San Quentin.

Scott Erskine’s later crimes eventually linked him to several earlier crimes

• Crime: Kidnap, assault, and ending the lives of three people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Believe it or not, but it was kidnapping and assaulting a woman that saw Scott Erskine sent to prison. Here, a DNA test linked him to the ending of 13-year-old Charlie Keever and nine-year-old Jonathan Sellers in 1993, a case that finally went to trial in 2003. Here, Erskine was eventually found guilty and sentenced to capital punishment.

However, things took another turn when Erskine was awaiting trial as the DNA test linked him to ending the life of 36-year-old Renee Baker in 1989. Erskine eventually pleaded guilty to assault and ending her life. However, he passed away in July 2020 and was one of many San Quentin inmates to lose their lives within a few weeks.

Edward Bunker became the youngest inmate at San Quentin State Prison at 17 years old

• Crime: Stabbing a guard at a youth detention facility
• Sentence: Five years

He might be known as a crime fiction writer, but it seems Edward Bunker always had more of an insight into the world of crime than other authors. After all, he spent much of his life in and out of prison following charges associated with robbery, selling illegal substances, and forgery. In fact, Bunker even ended up at San Quentin.

That moment came when he was just 17, making Bunker the youngest inmate, as he stabbed a guard while at a youth detention facility. Still, during his first sentence, Bunker made the most of his time by reading five books a week each year he was there. This was just one of many tough prisons Bunker unfortunately ended up in.

No one is entirely sure why Tiequon Cox ended the lives of four of Kermit Alexander's family members

• Crime: Ending the lives of four people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

No one is entirely sure what caused Tiequon Cox to end the lives of four people, all relatives of former NFL defensive back Kermit Alexander. In the end, his victims were aged 59, 25, 12, and 6, and it's known that Cox was a part of the Rollin' 60 Crips, with some thinking this link could have provoked the crime.

Whatever the case, it didn't take long for a jury to find Cox guilty of all four charges, and he was sentenced to capital punishment as a result. It was after Cox was sent to San Quentin that he stabbed Crips co-founder Stanley Williams, but he survived. Now, Cox is 58 years old and still awaiting his final punishment.

Morris Solomon Jr. earned the nickname The Sacramento Slayer after ending the lives of six women

• Crime: Ending the lives of six women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

You don’t get a nickname like The Sacramento Slayer for nothing. For Morris Solomon Jr., it was ending the lives of six women that earned him this name with his crimes that spanned from June 1986 to April 1987. Although the first jury ended in a mistrial, the second found Solomon should receive capital punishment for his crimes.

Amazingly, Solomon was the one to report the remains of one of his victims. As DNA evidence was in its early stages when the crimes took place, the prosecution had to rely largely on circumstantial evidence to link Solomon to the crimes. Now, he is still at San Quentin State Prison before his punishment is seen through.

Dean Carter might have ended up to 30 people’s lives but was convicted of four

• Crime: Assault and ending the lives of at least four women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For over 30 years, Dean Carter has been awaiting his final punishment: capital punishment. How did he end up here? That was for his spree of crimes that took place back in April 1984 when Carter assaulted and ended the lives of four women: Janette Cullins, Bonnie Guthrie, Jillette Mills, and Susan Knoll. Still, that might not be all.

Carter was also accused of ending the life of another woman, Tok Chum Kim, but there was never enough evidence to link the pair. Even then, some investigators think that Carter might be responsible for ending as many as 30 people’s lives across the Western US, but nothing has ever been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Clarence Ray Allen was once the second-oldest person to receive capital punishment in the US

• Crime: Ending the lives of at least four people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he had already been given a life sentence for ending the life of 17-year-old Mary Sue Kitts, Clarence Ray Allen organized the ending of three more people’s lives, including one of the witnesses who first testified against him, from prison. Ultimately, the plan was successful, ending the lives of Bryon Schletewitz, 18-year-old Douglas White, and 17-year-old Josephine Rocha.

The idea was that if Allen got a new trial, there wouldn’t be people to testify against him. However, it merely resulted in another trial and Allen being sentenced to capital punishment for the new crimes. When that moment came in 2006, Allen was 76 years old, making him the second-oldest inmate to receive the punishment at the time.

Louise Peete was one of only four women to lose their lives in California’s gas chamber

• Crime: Ending the lives of two people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Louise Peete was never meant to be back out in the world after he ended the life of a wealthy mining engineer named Jacob C. Denton in 1920. After all, she was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1921, but she was somehow released in April 1939. That was until May 1945, when Peete decided to strike again.

This time, Peete ended the life of her employer, Margaret Logan, and the courts weren’t taking any chances, eventually sentencing her to capital punishment. When that moment came in 1947 - after a short stay at San Quentin State Prison - Peete became the second of ultimately four women who would lose their lives in the gas chamber here.

Ryan Hoyt agreed to end a teenager's life to clear his debts with a narcotics dealer

• Crime: Ending a teenager's life
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he was convicted back in November 2001, Ryan Hoyt is still awaiting his capital punishment at San Quentin State Prison. That moment came after he worked with Jesse James Hollywood, a known narcotics dealer who ordered the kidnapping and ending of teenager Nicholas Markowitz in August 2000. Hollywood is now serving life without parole.

It's said that Hoyt owed Hollywood money for narcotics and was told that if he ended Markowitz's life, his debts would be cleared. Apparently, 15-year-old Markowitz's older half-brother - Benjamin - also owed Hollywood money. After he was kidnapped and forced to take narcotics, Hoyt ended the teenager's life before leaving his body in a shallow grave on a hiking trail.

Henry Cowell spent four years at San Quentin during the prison’s most tumultuous time

• Crime: Assault of a minor
• Sentence: 1 to 15 years

For most of his life, Henry Cowell was known as a composer, pianist, writer, teacher, and publisher. However, getting arrested in 1936 changed everything for Cowell. The moment came after he was allegedly being caught with a 17-year-old boy. While he initially denied the charge, Cowell later pleaded guilty in the hopes of a lesser sentence.

However, he was actually sentenced to one to 15 years. Eventually, Cowell served four years, all of them at San Quentin, during one of the most tumultuous times in the prison. Starving and whippings were common from the wardens, especially toward LGBTQ prisoners. Here, Cowell wrote over 60 compositions before he was finally released, losing the majority of his reputation.

Wayne Adam Ford had a part of one of his victims in his pocket when he turned himself in

• Crime: Ending the lives of at least four women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Like so many criminals of the time, Wayne Adam Ford once worked as a long-haul truck driver, a job that made his time as a criminal a lot easier. From 1997 to 1998, Ford ended the lives of four women, following several run-ins with the law after allegations that he robbed and assaulted an adult worker and for animal cruelty.

However, everything ended in 1998 when Ford turned himself in with a part of one of his victims in his pocket. It turned out Ford dismembered three of the women after he strangled them, but it’s theorized that he could have ended many more lives. Now, Ford can be seen awaiting his capital punishment at San Quentin State Prison.

William Richard Bradford could have ended far more than the two lives he was convicted of

• Crime: Ending the lives of at least two women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For years, people believed that William Richard Bradford had only ended the lives of two women in 1984. One was a barmaid called Shari Miller, while the other was his 15-year-old neighbor Tracey Cambell. Both women were lured into the desert under the promise Bradford could make them famous models before they lost their lives and were left.

However, in 2006, the police released photos of 54 women that were found in Bradford’s home. It’s believed many of these pictures could have been taken of the women in their final moments. While he was sentenced to capital punishment for the two crimes, Bradford could have ended many more lives before he passed away in 2008 from natural causes.

Danny Trejo was sent to various prisons before fame, including San Quentin State Prison

• Crime: Unknown
• Sentence: Unknown

When you hear the name Danny Trejo, there’s a good chance your mind goes to his acting work. After all, Trejo has more than 450 credits to his name, but there was a time when he spent most of his time on the wrong side of the law. After all, Trejo was just seven when he started dealing narcotics.

After first getting arrested at ten, Trejo ended up at San Quentin. While it’s not clear what charge landed him there, Trejo did maim a sailor with a broken bottle and met Charles Manson along the way. Shortly after staying at San Quentin, Trejo’s narcotics use got worse, and he often saw incredible acts of violence before he got clean.

Rodney Alcala was better known as the Dating Game Criminal after appearing on the show

• Crime: Ending the lives of at least eight people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he was charged with ending the lives of five people in California and a further two in New York, there’s every chance that Rodney Alcala could have ended the lives of as many as 130 people. After all, he had a collection of over 1,000 photos of teenagers and women, mostly in explicit poses.

Police know Alcala assaulted at least one of the people in the photos and believe many more could have been his victims. Alcala earned the nickname of the Dating Game Criminal as he appeared on the game show in the middle of his criminal spree. He was eventually sentenced to capital punishment but passed away from natural causes in 2021.

Harvey Glatman often posed as a photographer to lure his victims to their end

• Crime: Ending at least three women’s lives
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Using different pseudonyms, Harvey Glatman was able to lure at least three women to meet their untimely end. Glatman would often pose as a photographer, promising women he could make them models, but also used Lonely Hearts ads to find at least one more victim. All this came after he was arrested for stalking, kidnapping, and assault.

Eventually, Glatman was found guilty of two of the charges, especially after he showed investigators photos in his toolbox that he took of the women. However, there’s a theory he could be linked to a fourth victim, Dorothy Howard, who was known as Boulder Jane Doe for 55 years. He ultimately lost his life in the gas chamber in 1959.

David Mason would mostly target senior citizens throughout his criminal spree

• Crime: Ending the lives of at least five people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For years, David Mason was allegedly subject to a host of mental and physical abuse. Sadly, as he grew up, this translated into his adult life, with Mason known to be incredibly violent for most of his life. In fact, he ended the lives of four senior citizens throughout 1980, aged between 72 and 83 years old.

However, after he was arrested, Mason confessed that he’d also killed his former partner when he revealed he had deliberately given Mason an infection. Then, once in jail, Mason and another inmate ended the life of a third inmate as they believed he was an informant. In the end, Mason lost his life in San Quentin’s gas chamber in 1993.

Many have long claimed Kevin Cooper might not have had a fair trial

• Crime: Ending the lives of four people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he was found guilty of ending the lives of four people, one of the reasons Kevin Cooper is a name so many people recognize is because of the questions that’ve been raised about his trial. Many have accused Cooper of having an inadequate defense and how he alone overpowered multiple armed victims or used three or four weapons.

In fact, people go as far as claiming there was destruction of evidence, perjured testimony by the Sheriff’s Department, brainwashing of witnesses, and planting of evidence. Even so, Cooper was found guilty of the crimes and sentenced to capital punishment. Of course, there have been plenty of appeals and re-tests ordered in the years since Cooper’s conviction.

Miran Edgar Thompson was already serving a life sentence when he was a part of the Battle of Alcatraz

• Crime: Taking part in the Battle of Alcatraz
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Alcatraz was a prison reserved for the worst of the worst. Unfortunately, for Miran Edgar Thompson, it was the only place they could house him after he was arrested eight times and escaped every single time. While he had bad luck getting caught, Thompson was always extremely lucky when it came to getting out - until he wasn’t.

Thompson was already serving a life sentence when he was a part of the Battle of Alcatraz, an escape attempt that saw two officers lose their lives and multiple others hurt. As a result of his unsuccessful escape attempt, Thompson was sent to San Quentin State Prison, where he lost his life in the gas chamber in December 1948.

Sam Shockley was one of two prisoners to earn capital punishment following the Battle of Alcatraz

• Crime: Taking part in the Battle of Alcatraz
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Following the Battle of Alcatraz, two people lost their lives for their participation. Miran Edgar Thompson was one, and Sam Shockley was the other. After several robberies and kidnapping two employees during one of his crimes, it was determined that Shockley had a mental age of ten years and ten months. Instead of treatment, he was sent to Alcatraz.

However, he was found guilty of participating in the ending of the guards’ lives during the battle and was eventually sentenced to capital punishment for the crime. This was enough to earn Shockley another stay at San Quentin State Prison, a sentence that would prove to be his last as he lost his life to capital punishment in December 1948.

Merle Haggard turned to country music after a stay at San Quentin State Prison

• Crime: Attempting to escape from prison
• Sentence: Two years

Although most people know Merle Haggard for his country music, there was a time when things were very different for the star. After a troubled childhood, Haggard was in and out of prison. In fact, financial issues led him to try robbing, but he was caught and sent to jail. There, an escape attempt saw him sent to San Quentin.

Throughout his stay at San Quentin, Haggard continued his bad streak, but when another inmate tried to escape and was sentenced to capital punishment, he decided to turn his life around. In the end, Haggard was released on parole in 1960 and worked on his music career, eventually becoming the country musician we still know and love today.

Vincent Brothers thought he had the perfect alibi until forensic analyses proved otherwise

• Crime: Ending the lives of five people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For years, people in the area knew Vincent Brothers as a vice principal at an elementary school in Bakersfield, California. Tragically, that changed on July 6, 2003, when Brothers ended the lives of his wife, Joanie, his children - four-year-old Marques, two-year-old Lyndsey, and six-week-old Marshall - and his wife’s mother, Earnestine. Still, Brothers attempted to make an alibi.

He flew to Ohio under the pretext that he was seeing his brother, only to drive back to California, commit the crimes, and return to Ohio. It was only when forensic analysis of the rental car showed odometer readings and insects native to states west of the Rocky Mountains that Brothers was found guilty and sentenced to capital punishment.

Many campaigned for Caryl Chessman’s conviction to overturn capital punishment in California

• Crime: Kidnapping for the purpose of robbery, attempted assault, assault with a weapon, robbery, attempted robbery, grand theft
• Sentence: Capital punishment

It comes to something when even though you have been found guilty of a host of crimes, your sentence is the thing that tries to change the law across the state. Still, that was the case for Caryl Chessman. The convict was charged with 17 counts, including robbery, assault, and kidnapping before he was sent to San Quentin State Prison.

However, many claim that some of the charges were because of a loosely interpreted “Little Lindbergh Law” that saw kidnapping become a capital offense in certain circumstances. People campaigned for California to rethink its capital punishment, but it didn’t save Chessman, who was sent to the gas chamber on May 2, 1960, when he was 38 years old.

Cleophus Prince Jr.’s trial and conviction took over the media at the time

• Crime: Assaulting and ending the lives of six women
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For most of 1990, San Diego County was plagued by an unknown criminal who was assaulting and ending the lives of women. It came hot on the heels of many other criminals in the area, but Cleophus Prince Jr. was eventually named as the man behind it all. In addition to the crimes, Prince had also been burgling people’s houses.

Prince was eventually arrested the following year and stood trial another year later. Although his defense argued he should be cleared of ending three of the women’s lives, it didn’t work, and Prince was found guilty of all six crimes. Now, Prince still sits at San Quentin, awaiting his capital punishment after the media storm that was his trial.

Richard Allen Davis fueled the idea of three strikes across California

• Crime: Burglary, robbery, kidnapping, attempted assault, and ending the life of a child
• Sentence: Capital punishment

In October 1993, Polly Klaas and her friends were meant to be having a slumber party, but everything changed when Richard Allen Davis broke into their bedroom, tied up the other two friends, and kidnapped 12-year-old Polly. Tragically, Davis eventually ended her life before he admitted everything to the police, all while refusing to give a timeline.

The courts found Davis guilty of all charges and sentenced him to capital punishment. Although an overdose later meant he was found unconscious in his cell, Davis was resuscitated, with many arguing that his string of crimes only fueled the “three strikes” rule. Now, Davis remains at San Quentin State Prison as he waits for his eventual punishment.

Black Bart might have been one of the most sophisticated stagecoach robbers of all time

• Crime: Robbery
• Sentence: Six years

Black Bart is none other than one of the most notorious stagecoach robbers of his time, but there was something different about this criminal. After all, he had a reputation for his sophistication, leading many to think that Bart was a gentleman bandit who operated across Southern Oregon and Northern California throughout the late 1800s.

Bart’s first robbery took place in July 1875, with his last coming years later in November 1883. However, when he was caught, Bart was only charged with the final robbery and sent to San Quentin for six years. By the time he was released, Bart claimed he was “through with crime,” largely due to his failing health.

Barbara Graham didn’t want to look at the observers as she was led to the gas chamber

• Crime: Ending the life of one woman
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Barbara Graham, often called Bonnie, ultimately became the third woman to lose her life in the gas chamber in California. Of course, there are far fewer women who are sentenced to capital punishment, which is partly why her story has been retold through books and movies ever since. What happened? Essentially, a robbery gone wrong.

Graham and two others all took part in a robbery that eventually led to the ending of an elderly woman’s life. It wasn’t long before Graham was caught and tried for her role in it all. When she was transferred to San Quentin, her punishment was continually delayed. Finally, Graham requested a blindfold as she was led to the chamber.

Douglas Clark spent years confessing to ending the lives of several more people

• Crime: Ending the lives of at least six people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Sadly, when it comes to Doug Clark, most of his victims are merely known as Jane Doe - and these are the ones that were discovered. Together, he and Carol Bundy would lure women, often adult workers or teenage runaways, into their home for intimate acts before they ended their lives and decapitated their bodies, keeping their heads as souvenirs.

Seven victims were ultimately linked to Clark and Bundy, but he was only convicted of six. At his trial, Clark represented himself, blaming everything on Bundy. However, a jury didn’t buy it, and he was sentenced to capital punishment. In the years since, both have confessed to several more crimes before Clark passed away of natural causes in October 2023.

Jarvis Jay Masters claims he wasn’t behind the crime that saw him convicted of capital punishment

• Crime: Armed robbery and creating a weapon
• Sentence: Capital punishment

To start, Jarvis Jay Masters was sent to San Quentin State Prison in 1981 because he was involved in an armed robbery. However, things took another turn in 1985 when Masters was accused of fashioning a weapon that was used by another inmate to end the life of one of the guards at the prison.

The new charge resulted in Masters’ conviction escalating to capital punishment, even though he claims that he's innocent. In fact, he presented new evidence in 2019 that allegedly proved he was innocent, and another inmate supposedly confessed to the crime. Still, the jury didn’t hear the confession, and Masters is still awaiting his capital punishment at San Quentin.

Lawrence Bittaker passed away while awaiting punishment at San Quentin State Prison

• Crime: Kidnapping, assaulting, and ending the lives of at least five teenage girls
• Sentence: Capital punishment

Even though he was born in Pennsylvania, it was California that would eventually become the horrific scene of Lawrence Bittaker’s crimes. He was one-half of the Tool Box Criminals, a pair who earned their name through the torture instruments they would use on their victims, including sledgehammers, ice picks, and pliers, among many other disturbing things.

All of these were usually stored in a household toolbox, with Bittaker taking part in the ending of at least five teenage girl’s lives. Sadly, this would come after they were assaulted and tortured. In the end, Bittaker was convicted of the five crimes and sentenced to capital punishment, but he passed away at San Quentin while awaiting his punishment.

Roy Norris took a plea deal to earn a lesser sentence for his part in the Tool Box crimes

• Crime: Kidnapping, assaulting, and ending the lives of at least five teenage girls
• Sentence: 45 years to life imprisonment

The other half of the Tool Box Criminals was none other than Roy Norris, but he had a very different tale as to what happened to the five teenage girls. According to Norris, it was Bittaker who would up the violence after each successful kidnap and ending of a girl’s life, and he played little part in it all.

In the end, he agreed to plead guilty to his part in the crimes and testify against his former partner in crime, resulting in a much lesser sentence of 45 years to life in prison. He was first eligible for parole in 2010 and has since been moved to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in California.

William Bonin could have ended more than double the number of victims he was convicted of

• Crime: Assaulting, torturing, and ending the lives of at least 14 men and boys
• Sentence: Capital punishment

The sheer scale of William Bonin’s crimes led the prosecutor to refer to him as “the most arch-evil person who ever existed.” By the time all of his crimes were discovered, Bonin was labeled as the Freeway Strangler as most of his victims’ bodies were found along various freeways across California, but the actual number could be much higher.

Two trials saw Bonin convicted of ending the lives of 14 individuals, but it’s known he actually ended the lives of at least 21. Even then, there could be another 15 crimes that are connected to Bonin, putting the total at at least 36. When staying at San Quentin, Bonin became friends with Lawrence Bittaker before his punishment in 1996.

Randy Steven Kraft could have ended the lives of as many as 51 young men

• Crime: Assaulting, torturing, and ending the lives of at least 16 young men
• Sentence: Capital punishment

For years, California was gripped by a host of criminals, all taking people’s lives in horrific ways. The Southern California Strangler was one of the ones on the list, but most people had no idea that it was Randy Steven Kraft behind the tragic crimes. Eventually, he was convicted of ending the lives of at least 16 young men.

However, his crime spree between 1972 and ‘83 might not have been the only times Kraft ended lives, with some thinking the actual number could be as many as 51 victims. Like others, Kraft left most of his victims’ remains near freeways across the state, and he is still awaiting his capital punishment at San Quentin State Prison today.

Scott Peterson acted like the grieving husband when he was the one to end his wife’s life

• Crime: Ending the life of his wife and their unborn child
• Sentence: Capital punishment commuted to life imprisonment

Everything about the disappearance of Laci Peterson is about as tragic as it gets. Not only did she lose her life at the hands of her husband, Scott Peterson, but she was also eight months pregnant at the time. It took four months before her body was found, with Scott playing the part of a grieving husband the entire time.

The reality was there could have been several motives for Scott to end his wife’s life, including the fact he was tired of his marriage, not ready for the pregnancy, he was having an affair at the time, and he was under mounting financial pressure. Although Scott was sentenced to capital punishment, this was later commuted to life without parole.

Richard Chase was so feared at San Quentin that other inmates allegedly wanted him to take his own life

• Crime: Ending the lives of six people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

It wasn’t just the fact that Richard Chase ended the lives of six people that made him so feared and hated across Sacramento; it was also the fact that he would drink his victims’ blood and often eat some of their remains, earning him the nickname The Vampire of Sacramento. According to him, locked doors meant he wasn’t welcome.

However, Chase admitted if someone’s doors were open, he viewed that as an invitation. Initially, his defense tried to have him found guilty in the second degree due to reason of insanity. The jury wasn’t as convinced, and he was sentenced to capital punishment, with other inmates allegedly regularly trying to convince Chase to take his own life.

Richard Ramirez terrorized California with the horrific nature of his crimes

• Crime: Attempting to end five people’s lives, 11 assaults, 14 burglaries, and ending the lives of at least 13 people
• Sentence: Capital punishment

When it comes to the most famous criminals at San Quentin State Prison, Richard Ramirez might be one at the top of the list. The Night Stalker, as he is better known, terrorized California from June 1984 to August 1985, ending the lives of at least 13 people along the way, but the number is more likely at least 15.

For all of his crimes, Ramirez was handed 19 capital punishments, a conviction that was upheld throughout all his appeals. However, it wasn’t the punishment that would take his life. Instead, that moment came in 2013 when Ramirez was 53, as he lost his life due to complications from B-cell lymphoma while he was kept at San Quentin.