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Frances Newton
Women on Death Row - Frances Newton
Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Women on Death Row - Frances Elaine Newton

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General Information:
  • Date of Birth - April 12, 1965
  • Date of Offense - April 7, 1987
  • Age at Time of Offense - 21
  • Prior Occupation - Accounting
  • Education - 12 years
  • Prior Prison Record - Newton was given a concurrent 3-year sentence stemming from a probated forgery conviction in February 1986. Newton's probation was revoked upon her capital murder conviction.

Details of the Crime: Newton was convicted in the April 1987 slaying of her husband and children for insurance money. Killed were her husband, Adrian, 23, her son, Alton, 7, and daughter, Farrah, 21 months. All were shot to death with a .25 caliber pistol that belonged to Newton's boyfriend. Newton and her husband had separated about a month prior to the killings.
Motive: In March 1987, Newton took out $50,000 life insurance policies on Adrian, Farrah and herself. A policy already existed on Alton's life. Newton admitted taking a gun with her to her husband's apartment on the night of the killings, but she said she took it for protection and that her family members were alive when she left.
Newton filed insurance claims on April 21, 1987, and was arrested and charged with capital murder the next day.

Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Update- Newton Executed: Frances Elaine Newton was executed shortly after 6 p.m. on September 14, 2005, for the murder of her husband and two children in 1988. She declined to make a last statement.
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