Benjamin Ritchie

Benjamin Donnie Ritchie (né Peoples; May 3, 1980 – May 20, 2025) was an American convicted murderer who shot and killed 31-year-old William Toney, a police officer from Beech Grove, Indiana, on September 29, 2000. Ritchie was arrested and charged with the murder of Toney and other offenses. He was subsequently sentenced to death on October 15, 2002, after his conviction on August 10 of that same year. Ritchie appealed his death sentence, but he was unsuccessful in the regular appeals process. He cited bipolar disorder and cognitive impairments stemming from childhood abuse, personal drug use, and his mother's substance use during pregnancy as reasons for the Indiana Supreme Court to grant him the opportunity to file a successive post-conviction petition. However, it was denied, and the court instead granted the state's motion for an execution date. Ritchie was incarcerated at the Indiana State Prison and executed on May 20, 2025. Ritchie was featured in a two-series documentary of the Indiana State Prison by British journalist Sir Trevor McDonald.