Executions
The 1901 state legislature required that all executions be conducted by hanging at the state prison in Carson City beginning in 1903.

1901-1910
Hangings
The first inmate executed at the state prison was John Hancock on September 8, 1905.
Hancock had murdered Joe Edmiston & George Engelke with an ax while they slept.

Largest Multiple Execution
The largest multiple execution in the history of Nevada occurred on November 17, 1905.
Four men, Thomas F. Gorman, Al Linderman, Fred Reidt, and John P. Sevener, were executed using double gallows for the murder of a transient they threw off a moving train while they pilfered the box cars in August 1903.

Gallows in the Yard
The last hangings occurred in 1906.
Two Native Americans, Indian Johnny, a Shoshone, and Joe Ibapah, a Goshute, were executed using double gallows on December 7, 1906 for the murder of a transient.
This is the only photo we have of hangings at NSP, believed to have been taken somewhere in the yard at the December 7, 1906 execution.

1911 Legislative Change
Choice of Method
In 1911, a legislative change allowed inmates to choose between hanging or firing squad.
The only firing squad execution was Andriza Mircovich in 1913, who professed wanting to "die like a soldier".
This put Former Governor and then Warden Denver Dickerson in a pickle, when he could find no one to complete the task. After multiple guards resigned, a shed was built to facilitate a blind shooting.
Photo: Andriza Mircovich who today, represents the only execution by gunfire in the state of Nevada.

1921 Legislative Change
Lethal Gas
The law changed again in 1921 requiring lethal gas for future executions. This change made Nevada the first in the world to use lethal gas when Gee Jon was executed in 1924.
Photo: Gee Jon, 1924

Sealed Barbershop/Butcher Shop
The Nation's First Gas Chamber
Cyanide gas was used within the sealed barbershop/butcher shop in the yard. Warden Dickerson later noted that the incident was so unpleasant, he recommended never using gas again.
Photo: An officer sealing the windows of the Barbershop/butcher shop, which became the first Gas Chamber.

2nd Gas Chamber
Very little is known about the 2nd gas chamber built at the end of A Block in 1925.

3rd Gas Chamber
A third chamber was constructed in 1948-49. Note the exhaust pipe. This 3rd chamber is the one visible to visitors today.

1924-1979
Executions by Gas
Over the course of 55 years, 32 executions were completed using gas.
Photo: Jessie Bishop was the last inmate executed using lethal gas on October 22, 1979.

1983 - Today
Lethal Injections
A 1983 law transitioned from gas to lethal injections and the chairs were replaced with a bed in the chamber.

A Haunted Face
Carroll Cole admitted to 35 killings between 1947 and 1980. He was proven in court to have killed 15 women and 1 boy.
Photo: Carroll Cole was executed on December 2, 1985.

2006
Last Execution
In total, 11 executions were completed by injection.
Daryl Mack was convicted in 2002 of raping and murdering two Reno women. repeatedly noted that he would rather be executed than spend the next 20 years on death row, and ultimately waived his remaining appeals.
Photo: Daryl Mack was the first inmate convicted solely on the strength of DNA evidence and the first African American to be executed by lethal injection in Nevada. His last words, according to then Director of Corrections Glen Whorton, were, "Allah is great, Allah is great."