You may have heard of convicted murderer Eva Dugan (1878 – February 21, 1930). As a fair punishment for her wicked crime, she was sentenced to death. However, unlike many others who dealt with the same type of punishment, Dugan literally lost her head. Oddly, the hanging had resulted in her decapitation, which eventually caused the state of Arizona to replace hanging with another method for the death penalty. It was eventually replaced with the lethal gas chamber.

The Disappearance Of Andrew J. Mathis

During the Klondike gold rush, Dugan worked as a cabaret singer and also a prostitute in Juneau, Alaska. After moving from Alaska to Pima County, Arizona, she was hired to work for Andrew J. Mathis. Mathis was a chicken rancher who hired Dugan to work as a housekeeper. However, for unknown reasons, her job would come to an end. Strangely, not long after losing her job, Mathis had vanished. Plus, some valuable possessions (such as his cash box and Dodge coupe automobile) had also disappeared. Dugan was eventually spotted by neighbors attempting to sell his valuable possessions. However, not long after Mathis’ disappearance, Dugan was also nowhere to be found.

The Investigation For Theft

Dugan was certainly one very shady character. Soon after authorities discovered that she had a father located in California, and a daughter that lived in White Plains, New York, Dugan’s successful run from the law would soon come to an end. In Kansas City, Missouri, the vehicle that was once owned by her supervisor Andrew J. Mathis, was sold by Dugan for $600. Thanks to a postal clerk who intercepted a postcard to her from her father in California, she was reported to police and arrested in White Plains. To face some auto theft charges, she was extradited back to Arizona.

Dugan was convicted of auto theft and was forced to spend some time in prison.

However, this was only the beginning for this murderer. Police had also found out that Dugan had been married five times. Why is that so odd? Of course, it wasn’t simply because she was married so many times, it was because like Mr. Mathis, all five of her ex-husbands had also disappeared.

The Discovery Of Mathis’ Remains

After spending nine months in prison, a camper would make Dugan’s punishment change from a prison sentence, to a death sentence. The camper found the decomposed remains of Mathis on his ranch. This was enough to give her murder charges. Although the trial was based mostly on circumstantial evidence, Dugan was convicted of murder. The prosecution and jury believed she murdered the man with an axe. She was believed to had a teenage boy assist her in the murder. However, the boy was never found.

Dugan’s Final Foolish Statement

After being convicted of murder, Dugan made a final statement to the jurors. She said, “Well, I’ll die with my boots on, an’ in full health. An’ that’s more’n most of you old coots’ll be able to boast on.”

The Execution

After failing to win her case as well as justify the murder on the grounds of mental illness, Dugan could not escape the death penalty. The day of her execution was set to take place on the morning of February 21, 1930. Not only was she the very first woman to be executed in Arizona, but this was also the first case in Arizona history in which women were actually permitted as witnesses.

Based on a newspaper account, despite Dugan being on her way to face death, she seemed fairly calm. She even told the guards, “Don’t hold my arms so tight, the people will think I’m afraid.” Apparently, she was more worried about what others had thought about her. The noose was put around her neck. She was asked if she had any last words, but chose not to say a word. Little did she know that she was not only about to die, but also about to lose the head on her shoulders.

At the end of the drop, unexpectedly, the snap of the rope decapitated Dugan. Her head then went rolling and had stopped once it met up with the feet of the spectators who came to see her get hanged. Understandably, the sudden loss of her head caused 3 men and 2 women to faint. The decapitation is what eventually influenced Arizona to replace the hanging method with the lethal gas chamber in 1934. Dugan was the only woman in Arizona history to be executed by hanging.

An Image Of The Actual Noose That Was Used To Hang Dugan

A Few Things Dugan Had In Common With Convicted Murderer Jodi Arias

Conclusion

Some people believe that most murderers usually get the easy way out. Many will either die by lethal injection, the lethal gas chamber, the electric chair, or in Dugan’s days, execution by hanging. Unfortunately, for Eva Dugan, it wasn’t just a hanging. She literally lost her head in the process. Of course, some would argue that her case is the perfect example of what you would call “justice.”