On this day, Jan. 5, in 1993, a convicted serial killer and child molester became the first person executed by hanging in nearly 30 years.
Westley Allan Dodd, of the state of Washington, began sexually molesting children when he was 13 and left nearly 50 victims in his wake.
Eventually, Dodd progressed to murdering his victims. In 1990, he was sentenced to death for molesting and then fatally stabbing 11-year-old Cole Neer and his 10-year-old brother William, and for a separate rape and murder of 4-year-old Lee Iseli.
Dodd refused his appeal. “I must be executed before I have an opportunity to escape,” he said. “… If I do escape, I promise you I will kill prison guards if I have to and rape and enjoy every minute of it.”
By state law, Dodd was allowed to choose his method of execution. He chose hanging because “that’s the way Lee Iseli died,” he said. His request to televise his hanging was denied.
– Scott McCabe
