Ohio Executes Man Convicted Of Killing Security Guard In 1994


Ohio executed Frederick Treesh, a man convicted of killing a security guard in 1994, today at the Ohio State Prison in Lucasville.

The Ohio Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said that Treesh was put to death at 10:30 this morning by lethal injection.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center Treesh is the fourth person to be executed in the United States this year. He is the first person to be executed in Ohio since the start of 2013.

Reuters reports that Treesh was convicted for shooting security guard Henry Dupree during a robbery at the Vine Street News Store. Treesh also shot the cashier, Louis Lauver, and fired several shots at police officers during the ensuing chase.

Treesh was convicted of aggravated murder, attempted murder and felonious assault. Police also believe that Treesh was responsible for the death of Gus Danno, as well as several other robberies, carjackings and kidnappings during a week long crime spree that ended with his arrest. Treesh was never convicted of those crimes and today, during his final statement, he maintained his innocence.

Treesh did, however, apologize to the family of Henry Dupree.

Treesh said:

“I’m not here to say I’m sorry to any of these victims that are here. I’ve never been tried, never been charged with that crime. I am here for Henry Dupree … I’d like to apologize to the family for what I’ve done. I’m sorry.”

Deanne Danno, Gus’ sister-in-law, was in attendance at the execution. Deanne didn’t get an apology for Gus’ murder but she was still glad to see Treesh meet his death.

Deanne told ABC News:

“There’s one less sadistic killer in this world … He has no heart. He’s a soulless person that should never have been brought into this world.”

Treesh’s lawyers tried to file for clemency before the execution saying that Treesh was high on cocaine at the time of the murder and was deeply sorry for his actions.

The petition read:

“Hindsight, regret and remorse cannot turn back the clock and cannot return Mr. Dupree’s life … What Fred can do and has tried to do is to help prevent others from making the same mistakes he did.”

But Gov. John Kasich denied clemency last week. The state parole board said that Treesh, as well as his accomplice Benjamin Brooks, “gratuitously brutalized, humiliated and killed innocent people, most of whom, like Dupree, posed no real or perceived threat to them.”

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