Rich Owens (corrections officer)

{{Short description|American executioner}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rich Owens

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = June 19, 1880

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and given age|1948|2|26|67}}

| death_place = Oklahoma

| nationality = American

| other_names =

| known_for = State executioner

| occupation = Executioner

}}

Rich Owens (June 19, 1880{{Cite web|url=http://www.geni.com/people/Rich-Owens/6000000026767789377|title=Rich Owens|date=19 June 1880 }} – February 26, 1948) was Oklahoma's executioner from 1918 to 1947 at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.{{cite web|author=Eric |url=http://lmharnisch.blogspot.com/2006/08/rich-owens-saga.html |title=lmharnisch: The Rich Owens Saga |work=lmharnisch.blogspot.com |date=2006-08-22 |access-date=14 February 2012}} He was responsible for 65 executions, and killed 10 others in his lifetime.{{cite news |title= Drugs Newest Execution Method|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qhA9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=dC4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=6617,747755&dq=rich-owens+execution&hl=en|newspaper= The Press-Courier|date= 3 December 1979|access-date=18 February 2012}} Owens was also the boss of a prison work crew.{{cite web |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/only-in-oklahoma-executing-criminals-just-another-job/article_f51a337c-64f2-54e8-95a8-145ce60ab9dc.html |title=Only in Oklahoma: Executing criminals just another job |author=Gene Curtis |date=10 July 2007 |access-date=16 February 2012}} He died of liver cancer on February 26, 1948, after falling ill in September 1947.