Michigan’s last execution happened 87 years ago: That man’s story and the death penalty today

ThelastpersontofacethedeathpenaltyinMichiganwasexecuted87yearsagobythefederalgovernment. The1938executionwasthefirstsinceMichiganabolishedthedeathpenaltynearly100yearsprior.Now,in2025,thereisoneMichiganmanondeathrowforacrimecommittedonfederalproperty. Inthisarticle,wehaveputtogetherinformationonthecaseofthe1938executionaswellasinformationaboutthedeathpenaltyinMichigantoday. Read:May4,1846:Michiganbecomesfirststatetoabolishdeathpenalty TonyChebatoris:ThelastmantobeexecutedinMichiganTonyChebatoriswasfirstconvictedonJuly20,1920,forarmedrobberyofaPackardcashier.Sentencedto20years,hewasletoutonparoleafteronlysixandahalfyears. Monthsafterbeingreleasedfromprison,hewasarrestedinLouisville,Kentucky,forarmedrobberyandstealinganautomobile,violatingtheDyerAct. TheDyerAct,alsoknownastheNationalMotorVehicleTheftAct,madestealingavehicleafederalcrime.Itwasenactedin1919withthegoalofpreventingorganizedthievesfromtr