Lavinia Burnett Criminal
Lavinia Burnett (1785 - November 8, 1845) was the first woman to be executed by the state of Arkansas.Born Lavinia May Sharp, she married Virginia native Crawford Burnett on December 29, 1810 in Patrick County. They moved to Trigg County, Kentucky with Crawford's brother, and eventually settled in Arkansas. They had at least two children, John (b. 1811), and Minerva (b. 1820).Lavinia and Crawford were arrested for the murder of Jonathan Selby, who lived near Fayetteville, and allegedly kept large sums of money at his residence. Their 15 year old daughter Minerva and Hardin Sharp, either Lavinia's son or brother, "confessed" to authorities that her parents had planned Selby's murder, and John had carried it out.Crawford Burnett's attorney made a motion before Crawford's trial to be dismissed as his attorney. This motion was granted. Crawford Burnett, being probably not guilty of the murder itself, refused to testify against his wife.During Lavinia's trial, a motion to omit the testimony of one Hardin Sharp, a relative of Lavinia's, was denied. The motion was brought on behalf of Lavinia's attorney because it was said that Hardin was an accomplice to the murder. Hardin and Minerva moved to Benton, Co. Missouri and married and Minerva changed her name to Lucinda.Lavinia and Crawford were sentenced to death in October 1845. Their hangings was reportedly well attended. John Burnett, had fled to Benton, Co. Missouri, where he was arrested. He was found guilty on December 4, 1845, and hanged 22 days later on the same scaffold where his parents met their deaths.