Our Journalism

The Riverfront Times, the Jewish Light and St. Louis Public Radio are partners in the “Shadow of Death” series, which debuted in November 2022.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, 92 Missourians have been put to death. Thirty-five have been Black, 56 white and one Native American. They’ve come from across the state — from tiny Maries County (population 8,432) to Kansas City and St. Louis.

But no county has sent more people to the executioner than St. Louis County.