The last person executed in Iowa was Victor Harry Feguer, who was hanged on March 15, 1963, at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.
Feguer’s execution was carried out under federal law after he was convicted of kidnapping and murdering Dr. Edward Bartels, an Iowa physician. Because the kidnapping involved crossing state lines, the case fell under federal jurisdiction.
Feguer was sentenced to death and ultimately became the last person executed in Iowa.
The execution came shortly after Iowa’s final execution under state law. Charles Kelley was put to death on September 6, 1962, making him the last person executed by the state of Iowa.
Just two years after Feguer’s execution, Iowa abolished the death penalty for state crimes in 1965 under Governor Harold Hughes.
Although capital punishment was eliminated under Iowa state law, Feguer’s case remains notable in Iowa history because his execution was carried out under federal authority.
Today, Feguer is remembered as the last person executed in Iowa, with his hanging at the Iowa State Penitentiary marking the end of an era of executions in the state.
