The Last Woman Executed in Ohio: Betty Butler

Tea Time Crimes

On September 6th, 1952, Betty Butler viciously murdered Evelyn Clark, while fishing at Sharon Woods. An argument occurred, and once they were back to shore, multiple witnesses saw Betty attack and drown Evelyn. No one denies Betty is guilty, not even Betty herself, but what happened to cause such a violent crime? Join us as we peel back the layers of this case and try to understand why Betty did it.

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Theme Music by Brad Frank

For a full list of sources, go to https://tea-time-crimes.simplecast.com/episodes.

Sources:

• Deadly Women: Season 10, Episode 13, “Friends to Foes.” Episode aired Nov 26, 2016, Director: Ryan Osmond, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6276114/
• Spooked by Ken Summers, “Dead Women Tell No Tales…Or Do They?” Wednesday, August 3, 2011, https://moonspenders.blogspot.com/2011/08/dead-women-tell-no-tales-or-do-they.html
• “'A War of Currents': The Real Story of Thomas Edison and the Invention of the Electric Chair.” By Kevin Martin, May 08, 2019, Magellan, https://www.magellantv.com/articles/a-war-of-currents-the-real-story-of-thomas-edison-and-the-invention-of-the-electric-chair
• Report: Ohio’s Capital-Punishment System Remains Unworkable, Ohio Attorney General, April 1st, 2024, https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/April-2024/Report-Ohio%E2%80%99s-Capital-Punishment-System-Remains-Un
• Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, “Capital Punishment: Overview.” https://drc.ohio.gov/about/capital-punishment/capital-punishment
• Death Penalty Information Center, “History of the Death Penalty.” https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/state-and-federal-info/state-by-state/ohio
• STATE v. THOMPSON (2002): Supreme Court of Ohio, The STATE of Ohio, Appellee, v. THOMPSON, Appellant, No. 2001-0333, Decided: May 15, 2002, https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/oh-supreme-court/1152986.html
• “West End Woman Strangled, Drowned in Sharon Woods.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sun, Sep 07, 1952, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/102828410/
• “Rival Choked and Drowned; Woman Held for Grand Jury.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Mon, Sep 08, 1952, Page 14, https://www.newspapers.com/image/102828825/
• “Indicted for Murder.” (AP) News Journal, Sat, Oct 04, 1952, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/294545519/
• “Jury Seated Tentatively In Lake Murder Trial.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Wed, Mar 04, 1953, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100606455/
• “Bus Balks Jury’s Trip.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Thu, Mar 05, 1953, Page 26, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100606557/
• “State Complete Testimony In Willful Drowning.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sat, Mar 07, 1953, Page 14, https://www.newspapers.com/image/103287432/
• “Blame Killing on Victim.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Tue, Mar 10, 1953, Page 5, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100607200/
• “Murder Case Near End.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Wed, Mar 11, 1953, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100607276/
• “Woman Gets Death In Park Slaying.” The Cincinnati Post, Thu, Mar 12, 1953, Page 29, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762608222/
• “Betty Butler Third Woman to Face Execution From Hamilton County Since ‘37.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Fri, Mar 13, 1953, Page 16, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100607434/
• “Strangle-Drowning Killer Asks New Trial.” The Cincinnati Post, Mon, Mar 16, 1953, Page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762608491/
• “Plea For Mercy Is Made In Death Sentence.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Tue, Mar 31, 1953, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100612836/
• “New Trial Denied.” (AP) The Marion Star, Mon, Apr 06, 1953, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/296626177/
• “Refuse to Show Mercy To Woman Condemned to Die.” (INS) The Daily Times, Wed, Apr 08, 1953, Page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/image/83973405/
• “Death Sentence for ‘Sex Slave’ Slaying.” The Plain Speaker, Sat, Apr 18, 1953, Page 15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/503493891/
• “Woman Facing ‘Chair’ Taken to Reformatory.” The Tribune, Thu, Apr 23, 1953 ·Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/321713424/
• “Drowning Slayer Gets Death Stay.” The Cincinnati Post, Tue, Aug 04, 1953, Page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762515136/
• “Death Sentence is Upheld in Park Slaying.” The Cincinnati Post, Mon, Oct 19, 1953, Page 18, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762810610/
• “St. Dismas, St. Paul, and Christ… Betty Butler sketches in death-row cell.” By James T. Keenan. The Cincinnati Post, Fri, Nov 27, 1953 ·Page 15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762835455/
• “Betty Butler Doomed To Die Same Day As Dovie Dean.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Tue, Dec 01, 1953, Page 10, https://www.newspapers.com/image/100630664/
• “To Hear Appeal.” (U.P.) The Daily Advocate, Sat, Feb 20, 1954, Page 8, https://www.newspapers.com/image/651646674/
• “Betty Butler Files Appeal From Date With Death.” The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sat, Mar 13, 1954, Page 29, https://www.newspapers.com/image/102838386/
• “Court To Hear Murder Appeal.” The Zanesville Signal, Wed, Mar 17, 1954, Page 9, https://www.newspapers.com/image/1045690534/
• “Betty Butler Gets Reprieve.” The Akron Beacon Journal, Mon, Apr 05, 1954, Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/150110769/
• “Pardon Board Hears Plea of Woman Slayer.” The Newark Advocate, Fri, Apr 09, 1954, Page 15, https://www.newspapers.com/image/287290882/
• “Letters Poured In!” New Pittsburgh Courier, Sat, Apr 17, 1954, Page 5, https://www.newspapers.com/image/40032549/
• “Betty Butler Paints, Studies Religion as Death Nears.” By James T. Keenan, The Cincinnati Post, Fri, May 07, 1954, Page 17, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762604071/
• “Betty Butler Wants Simple Food And Solitude as Death Nears.”By Scripps-Howard Newspapers. The Cincinnati Post, Fri, Jun 11, 1954, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762784627/
• “Betty Butler Dies in Chair For Murder.” By Post State Wire, The Cincinnati Post, Sat, Jun 12, 1954, Page 14, https://www.newspapers.com/image/762785655/