May 13, 2005: Connecticut carries out its first execution in 45 years
Today in True Crime by Case Bound
Source-backed daily true-crime history.
Non-graphic · Sensitive events discussed without explicit detail.
May 13, 2005: Connecticut carries out its first execution in 45 years
On May 13, 2005, Connecticut executed Michael Bruce Ross by lethal injection after convictions in the murders of four women; contemporaneous reports described it as Connecticut's first execution in 45 years.
Connecticut has carried out no further executions since the Ross case. In 2015, the state became the 18th in the nation to abolish the death penalty.
Ross was convicted in 1987 and sentenced to death; his sentence was thrown out on appeal, then reimposed in 2000 after resentencing. The Connecticut State Library chronology also records a May 2005 competency and waiver milestone before the execution.
Outside Osborn Correctional Institution, anti-death-penalty protesters gathered before the execution, with a smaller group supporting the state's use of capital punishment.
Also on this day
-
Ann Smith Executed in Nevada (1901) · Nevada State JournalAnn Smith was hanged at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City for the murder of her husband, John Smith, who she shot dead during an argument over household finances. Nevada State Journal reports documented the execution before a crowd of approximately 200 witnesses.
-
Roger Dale Cormier Arrested for Murder (1988) · FBIRoger Dale Cormier was arrested in Louisiana in connection with the murders of his mother and another woman, whose bodies were found in a shallow grave near Opelousas. He was later convicted and sentenced to life without parole.
-
FBI Director William Sessions Removed (1993) · The Washington PostAttorney General Janet Reno ordered the removal of FBI Director William S. Sessions, replacing him with Louis Freeh. An independent counsel investigation found Sessions had ethically lapsed and personally benefited from agency resources. The move ended his 14-year tenure and was the first removal of an FBI director for cause.
-
Amtrak Robbery Suspect Arraigned (1981) · FBI NewsA suspect in a series of armed thefts targeting Amtrak cash shipments along the Northeast Corridor was arraigned in federal court. The FBI's Behavioral Science Unit assisted in profiling the perpetrator.
-
Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Riot Arrests (1977) · The State (South Carolina)Over 300 members of the Boozefighters and other motorcycle clubs were arrested during a riot in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that left at least 30 people injured. The confrontation led to tightened gathering regulations in the state.
-
New York Police Chief Joseph Guilfoyle Jr. Dies (2008) · New York TimesJoseph Guilfoyle Jr., a longtime NYPD chief and liaison to the Bloomberg administration, died at age 72 after a four-decade career. He oversaw security for major city events and bridge police-community relations during tense periods in the city's history.
Sources used/checked for this issue
- Connecticut serial killer put to death, CNN — "Connecticut serial killer put to death," CNN, May 13, 2005. https://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/05/13/ross.execution/
- Connecticut Marks First Execution in 45 Years, NPR / WNPR — "Connecticut Marks First Execution in 45 Years," NPR, May 13, 2005. https://www.npr.org/2005/05/13/4651104/connecticut-marks-first-execution-in-45-years
- Michael Ross — Selected Chronology, Connecticut State Library — "Michael Ross — Selected Chronology," Connecticut State Library, Capital Punishment in Connecticut, checked May 11, 2026. https://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/law/capitalpunishment/michaelross
- The Michael Ross Case and Death Row Syndrome, Death Penalty Information Center — "The Michael Ross Case and Death Row Syndrome," Death Penalty Information Center. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/stories/the-michael-ross-case-and-death-row-syndrome
- USA (Connecticut): Death Penalty, Michael Bruce Ross, Amnesty International — "USA (Connecticut): Death Penalty, Michael Bruce Ross," Amnesty International, 2005. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr51/066/2005/en/
Today in True Crime by Case Bound — 2026-05-13
