Ohio has not carried out an execution in nearly seven years, despite 116 inmates remaining on death row, according to the state’s newly released 2024 Capital Crimes Report.

The report, issued by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office, expressed disappointment in a system mired in delays, as the report concludes inmates spend an average of more than 22 years awaiting execution — often due to prolonged appeals and a lack of lethal injection drugs.

“The only thing that has changed? The killers got a year older,” Yost said in a statement accompanying the report. “There needs to be some real progress — until that happens, Ohio cannot fulfill its promise of justice.”

Since Ohio reinstated the death penalty in 1981, only 56 of 342 imposed death sentences have been carried out.

The last execution was in July 2018. Meanwhile, legal challenges and pharmaceutical companies’ refusal to supply execution drugs have stalled the process further.

The report cites two major barriers: Lethal injection drug shortages as pharmaceutical companies have refused to supply the drugs, prompting Yost to seek federal intervention, and numerous appeals, with cases like Danny Lee Hill’s.

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, a vocal advocate for capital punishment, criticized Ohio’s inertia, pointing to other states that have resumed executions.

“There is no good reason for Ohio not to kick start its justice system,” Watkins said. “It is not broken — the same system that executed Trumbull County murderers Jason Getsy, Kenneth Biros and Roderick Davie in 2009 and 2010 should be able to execute today’s Stanley Adamses, Danny Lee Hills, and James Trimbles.”

In February, Watkins called on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Yost to assist in overcoming legal and logistical hurdles to resume executions, which have been stalled for years. HIs push came as Ohio lawmakers prepare to reintroduce a bill to abolish the death penalty, a measure that narrowly failed last year.

Watkins praised Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who oversaw his state’s first execution in 15 years earlier this year, quoting Landry’s remarks, “If you commit heinous acts of violence in this state, it will cost you your life. Plain and simple.”

Yost urged Ohio leaders to adopt alternative methods, such as nitrogen hypoxia, which Louisiana and Alabama have used recently.

“There are two paths available to Ohio to enforce the laws on our books,” Yost said. “Pick one.”

Those who are on death row from Trumbull County are:

• Danny Lee Hill, who was convicted in 1985 for the rape and murder of 12-year-old Raymond Fife in Warren. Raymond was attacked while riding his bicycle, suffering severe injuries that led to his death two days later. Hill’s execution is scheduled for July 22, 2026, but he has filed another appeal.

• Stanley Adams, who was convicted for the 1999 murders of Esther Cook and her 12-year-old daughter, Ashley, in their Warren home. Adams, familiar with the victims, committed the crimes during a burglary. His execution was initially set for Feb. 19, but has been rescheduled multiple times.

• Sean Carter, who was found guilty of the 1997 rape and murder of his 68-year-old adoptive grandmother, Veader Prince in her Southington home. In August, Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Sean O’Brien ruled Carter was mentally incompetent to be executed. Another competency hearing will be in August 2026.

• Nathaniel Jackson was convicted alongside Donna Roberts for the 2001 murder of her ex-husband, Robert Fingerhut, in Howland. The motive was to collect life insurance proceeds. Jackson’s execution date remains unscheduled because of ongoing legal proceedings.

• Donna Roberts is the only woman on Ohio’s death row, Roberts conspired with Nathaniel Jackson to murder her ex-husband, Robert Fingerhut, in 2001 to obtain life insurance money. Her execution date has not been set, pending further appeals.

• David Martin was sentenced to death for the 2012 murder of Jeremy Cole in Warren during a robbery. Martin also shot and injured a female victim during the incident. His execution date has not been determined because of ongoing appeals.

• Andre Williams was sentenced to death in 1989 for a home invasion that left George Melnick, 65, of Warren, dead, and for the beating, blinding and attempted rape of Melnick’s wife, Katherine.

Those who are on death row from Mahoning County are:

• Scott Group, who killed Robert Lozier, the owner of the Downtown Bar in Youngstown and also shot his wife, Sandra, who later testified against Group at his trial. Group forced the couple into the bar restroom and shot them both in the head, but Sandra survived. Group also stole $1,200 in cash, according to Vindicator archives.

• John Drummond Jr., then 26, was sentenced to death for killing 3-month old Jiyen C. Dent Jr., who was sitting in a baby swing in the living room of his family’s Rutledge Drive, East Side home when 10 shots were fired from across the street into the home, according to Vindicator archives. Drummond was convicted at trial.

• Willie Wilks Jr., who killed Ororo Wilkins and attempted to kill Alexander Morales Jr., according to Vindicator archives. Wilkins was sitting on the front porch of a Park Avenue home on the North Side. Morales was holding her baby when Wilks approached the porch and asked where he could find Wilkins’ brother. Morales said that as he turned to go into the house, Wilks shot him. Wilkins tried to grab the baby, and Wilks shot her once in the head, killing her.

• Lance Hundley, who was convicted of killing disabled woman Erica Huff and attempting to kill her mother, Denise Johnson, at their Cleveland Street home on the South Side. Hundley, 50, was living with Huff, 41, who had a child with Hundley’s brother, according to Vindicator archives.