Darrell Ferguson
Encyclopedia
Darrell Wayne "Gator" Ferguson (January 30, 1978 – August 8, 2006) was a convicted murderer executed by the state of Ohio
. At the age of 28, he was the youngest inmate put to death in Ohio since 1962. He spent 2 years and 10 months on death row and had waived all appeals after his 2003 conviction for three counts of aggravated murder.
On December 26, 2001, Ferguson murdered 61-year-old Thomas S. King, Sr., at King's home on the east side of Dayton
. Ferguson broke into King's home, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and stabbed King, who was disabled and used crutches, repeatedly in the chest. He then stole televisions and stereos from King's home and sold the items to buy crack cocaine
.
The next day, Ferguson murdered 68-year-old Arlie Fugate and his wife, 69-year-old Mae Fugate. Ferguson broke into the Fugate home and stabbed the couple with a knife from their kitchen. Ferguson then proceeded to stomp on their bodies with steel-toed boots. He later wrote a handwritten letter in which he admitted that he intentionally and maliciously murdered the victims.
Ferguson committed the murders after getting a two-day pass from a drug treatment program he had been ordered to attend following a burglary
conviction. The victims let Ferguson into their homes in Dayton because they knew him. Ferguson's mother had been married to King's brother, and Ferguson's family had once lived near the Fugates.
Although his attorneys maintained that IQ tests
revealed Ferguson was borderline mentally retarded
, Ohio courts found him competent to stand trial for three murders under the standards set forth by the United States Supreme Court in Atkins v. Virginia
. He taunted his victims' families at the sentencing phase of his trial, saying he took satisfaction and pleasure in killing their loved ones. He said, "I will never show any remorse, even on the day I die."
As he lay on the execution table in Lucasville
, Ferguson, who said he worshipped Satan
, told his parents he loved them and extended the index and little fingers on his outstretched left hand in a gesture known to some as il cornuto or the sign of the devil. He held the sign until he lapsed into unconsciousness. He was pronounced dead at 10:21 AM.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. At the age of 28, he was the youngest inmate put to death in Ohio since 1962. He spent 2 years and 10 months on death row and had waived all appeals after his 2003 conviction for three counts of aggravated murder.
On December 26, 2001, Ferguson murdered 61-year-old Thomas S. King, Sr., at King's home on the east side of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. Ferguson broke into King's home, grabbed a knife from the kitchen, and stabbed King, who was disabled and used crutches, repeatedly in the chest. He then stole televisions and stereos from King's home and sold the items to buy crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
.
The next day, Ferguson murdered 68-year-old Arlie Fugate and his wife, 69-year-old Mae Fugate. Ferguson broke into the Fugate home and stabbed the couple with a knife from their kitchen. Ferguson then proceeded to stomp on their bodies with steel-toed boots. He later wrote a handwritten letter in which he admitted that he intentionally and maliciously murdered the victims.
Ferguson committed the murders after getting a two-day pass from a drug treatment program he had been ordered to attend following a burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
conviction. The victims let Ferguson into their homes in Dayton because they knew him. Ferguson's mother had been married to King's brother, and Ferguson's family had once lived near the Fugates.
Although his attorneys maintained that IQ tests
Intelligence quotient
An intelligence quotient, or IQ, is a score derived from one of several different standardized tests designed to assess intelligence. When modern IQ tests are constructed, the mean score within an age group is set to 100 and the standard deviation to 15...
revealed Ferguson was borderline mentally retarded
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
, Ohio courts found him competent to stand trial for three murders under the standards set forth by the United States Supreme Court in Atkins v. Virginia
Atkins v. Virginia
Atkins v. Virginia, , is a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 that executing the mentally retarded violates the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishments.-The case:...
. He taunted his victims' families at the sentencing phase of his trial, saying he took satisfaction and pleasure in killing their loved ones. He said, "I will never show any remorse, even on the day I die."
As he lay on the execution table in Lucasville
Lucasville, Ohio
Lucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
, Ferguson, who said he worshipped Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
, told his parents he loved them and extended the index and little fingers on his outstretched left hand in a gesture known to some as il cornuto or the sign of the devil. He held the sign until he lapsed into unconsciousness. He was pronounced dead at 10:21 AM.
Sources
- Clark Prosecutor
- 2005 Capital Crimes Report, Ohio Attorney General's Office. (PDF)
- "Ohio executes man who stomped, stabbed and beat 3 people to death," Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
August 8, 2006.
See also
- Capital punishment in Ohio
- Capital punishment in the United StatesCapital punishment in the United StatesCapital punishment in the United States, in practice, applies only for aggravated murder and more rarely for felony murder. Capital punishment was a penalty at common law, for many felonies, and was enforced in all of the American colonies prior to the Declaration of Independence...