7 Tragic And Disturbing Facts About Lisa Marie Montgomery: The Woman Executed After 68 Years

The case of Lisa Marie Montgomery remains one of the most chilling and complex in modern American legal history. As of this writing in December 2025, she holds the grim distinction of being the first woman executed by the U.S. federal government in nearly seven decades, a fact that sparked intense debate over capital punishment, mental health, and the justice system. The details of her crime—the brutal murder of a pregnant woman and the kidnapping of her unborn child—are horrific, yet her defense team painted a picture of a life marred by unimaginable abuse and profound psychological damage, making her story a deeply disturbing study of violence and trauma. Her execution on January 13, 2021, came after a series of last-minute legal battles that highlighted the deep divisions in the country regarding the death penalty. This article delves into the full, tragic biography of Lisa Marie Montgomery, the shocking details of her crime against Bobbie Jo Stinnett, and the legal arguments that ultimately failed to save her life.

Lisa Marie Montgomery: A Complete Biographical Profile

Lisa Marie Montgomery's life was a tragic sequence of severe trauma, mental health struggles, and, ultimately, a heinous crime that led her to the federal death chamber.

• Full Name: Lisa Marie Montgomery (née Lisa Marie Graham)
• Date of Birth: February 27, 1968
• Place of Birth: Melvern, Kansas, U.S.
• Date of Death: January 13, 2021
• Age at Death: 52
• Place of Execution: Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute, Indiana
• Method of Execution: Lethal Injection
• Victim: Bobbie Jo Stinnett (Age 23, 8 months pregnant)
• Date of Crime: December 16, 2004
• Location of Crime: Skidmore, Nodaway County, Missouri
• Conviction: Kidnapping Resulting in Death (18 U.S.C. § 1201(a))
• Legal Case: United States v. Lisa Montgomery
• Marital Status: Married multiple times (including to Kevin Montgomery)
• Children: Had four children from previous relationships.
• Distinction: First woman executed by the U.S. federal government since 1953.

The Deceptive Plot and The Brutal Crime Against Bobbie Jo Stinnett

The crime committed by Lisa Marie Montgomery was one of calculated deception culminating in unimaginable brutality. It involved a level of planning that shocked the small, rural community of Skidmore, Missouri.

The Online Deception: The Ratter Chatter Forum

Montgomery's plot began online. She used the internet to connect with pregnant women, specifically targeting those involved in breeding Rat Terrier dogs. She used the pseudonym "Darlene Fischer" and frequented the "Ratter Chatter" online forum. She befriended her victim, Bobbie Jo Stinnett, a 23-year-old who was eight months pregnant and ran a dog breeding business with her husband, Zeb Stinnett, from their home in Skidmore. Montgomery claimed she was also pregnant and wanted to purchase a puppy from Stinnett, setting the stage for a face-to-face meeting.

The Kidnapping Resulting in Death

On December 16, 2004, Montgomery drove from her home in Melvern, Kansas, to the Stinnett residence in Nodaway County, Missouri. Upon entering the home, she attacked Bobbie Jo Stinnett. Montgomery brutally strangled Stinnett with a rope or a piece of cord until she was unconscious or dead. The most shocking detail of the crime followed: using a kitchen knife, Montgomery cut the baby from Stinnett's womb. She then cleaned up the scene, took the infant, and fled back to Kansas, attempting to pass the newborn off as her own. The victim's body was later discovered by her mother. The child, a girl named Skylar Stinnett, survived the horrific ordeal. Montgomery was apprehended the next day after police tracked her down based on her online correspondence with Stinnett. The surviving child was successfully reunited with her father, Zeb Stinnett.

The Defense: Trauma, Mental Illness, and The Battle for Clemency

The legal battle for Lisa Montgomery focused intensely on her history of severe trauma and its impact on her mental state, a common thread among many death row inmates.

A Life Defined by Abuse and Brain Injury

Montgomery’s defense team argued that her lifelong history of abuse, torture, and sex trafficking fundamentally damaged her mental capacity and contributed to the crime.

• Childhood Trauma: Defense lawyers presented evidence of relentless sexual and physical abuse that began in her childhood and continued into her adult life.
• Mental Illness: This trauma, they argued, led to lifelong mental illness, including severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative features.
• Brain Damage: Evidence was also presented suggesting she suffered from brain injuries, which further impaired her judgment and impulse control.

The defense contended that she committed the crime while in a dissociative state, disconnected from reality due to her deep-seated mental illness, and therefore should not be held to the same standard of culpability as someone of sound mind.

The Legal Hurdles and Final Rulings

Despite the compelling arguments about her mental state, the legal system ultimately rejected the appeals for a stay of execution. The case, *United States v. Lisa Montgomery*, went through numerous appeals. Her lawyers sought to halt the execution, citing her mental health and the fact that she was the only woman on federal death row. A federal court in Washington, D.C., initially granted a stay, but the U.S. Justice Department immediately appealed the ruling. In the final hours, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the stay of execution issued by the lower courts. This decision effectively cleared the way for the execution to proceed, making her the first woman to be executed by the federal government in 68 years, since Bonnie Brown Heady in 1953.

The Final Moments: Execution and Last Words

Lisa Marie Montgomery was executed by lethal injection at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, on January 13, 2021. The process was fraught with tension due to the last-minute legal maneuvers. As the process began, a woman standing over Montgomery's shoulder gently removed her face mask and asked if she had any last words. Montgomery’s response was brief and final. She simply replied, "No." She was pronounced dead at 1:31 a.m. EST. Her execution reignited the national debate over the death penalty, particularly for those with documented histories of severe mental illness and trauma. Her half-sister, Diane Mattingly, spoke out, believing that Montgomery's mental illness meant she should not have been executed. The case of Lisa Marie Montgomery serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked trauma, the complexities of the justice system, and the enduring ethical questions surrounding capital punishment. While the brutality of her crime against Bobbie Jo Stinnett remains undeniable, the story of her life highlights the profound need for a deeper understanding of mental health in criminal jurisprudence.