July 3, 1961 - Westley Allan Dodd

Westley Allan Dodd (July 3, 1961 – January 5, 1993) was an American convicted serial killer and sex offender who sexually assaulted and murdered three young boys in Vancouver, Washington, in 1989. He was arrested later that year after a failed attempt to abduct a six-year-old boy at a movie theatre in Camas, Washington.

Dodd wrote detailed accounts of his murders in a diary that was found by police. He pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to death after taking the stand and telling the judge and jury that he would do everything possible to kill again, including trying to escape and killing prison guards, unless he was put to death. After refusing an automatic appeal, Dodd was executed by hanging on January 5, 1993, the first legal hanging in the United States since 1965.

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