For most, prison is a temporary punishment. But for some, it becomes a lifetime sentence—decades spent behind bars with little hope of release. These prisoners hold the record for the longest sentences ever served, spending over six decades locked away. Some were eventually freed in their final years, while others died within prison walls.
Here are ten of the longest-serving prisoners in history and the crimes that kept them behind bars for most, if not all, of their lives.
1. Charles Foussard – 70 Years, 303 Days
Charles Foussard holds the record for one of the longest prison sentences in history. Convicted of murdering an elderly man and stealing his boots, Foussard was institutionalized at Ararat Mental Asylum in Victoria, Australia. Rather than serving time in a conventional prison, he spent the majority of his life in the mental health system. He never saw freedom again and died at the age of 91 or 92.
2. Francis Clifford Smith – 70 Years, 31 Days
Smith came within hours of execution before his death sentence was commuted. In 1949, he was convicted of murdering a night watchman during a yacht club robbery. Originally sentenced to death, his punishment was changed to life in prison in 1954—just two hours before he was scheduled to die. After 70 years behind bars, Smith was finally granted parole in July 2020, making him one of the longest-serving prisoners in American history.
3. Walter H. Bourque Jr. – 69 Years, 8 Days (and counting)
Walter Bourque Jr. remains incarcerated to this day, serving a 99-year sentence for one of the most horrifying crimes on this list. At just 17 years old, he was convicted of the axe murder of a four-year-old girl. His case remains one of the most disturbing in history, and as of now, he has spent nearly 70 years behind bars with no signs of release.
4. Paul Geidel Jr. – 68 Years, 245 Days
Paul Geidel Jr. was sentenced to 20 years to life at just 17 years old for robbery and murder in 1911. His sentence took a dramatic turn in 1926 when he was declared insane and transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Even after being eligible for release, he remained confined until 1980, when he was finally freed at the age of 86. He passed away at 93 years old.
5. John Phillips – 68 Years, 236 Days
Convicted of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl, Phillips spent nearly seven decades in prison. He was eventually paroled on March 9, 2021, and his parole is set to end on March 8, 2026.
6. Joseph Ligon – 67 Years, 54 Days
Joseph Ligon was only 15 years old when he was sentenced to life without parole for murder. For decades, he rejected parole offers, refusing to accept responsibility for crimes he claimed he didn’t commit. In 2016 and 2017, legal changes gave him the opportunity for resentencing, but he refused it. Finally, on February 11, 2021, he was released after 67 years in prison, making him the longest-serving juvenile lifer in the U.S.
7. Johnson Van Dyke Grigsby – 66 Years, 123 Days
After killing a man in a bar fight, Grigsby was sentenced to life in prison. He was denied parole 69 times before being released at 89 years old. However, after struggling to find a job, he voluntarily returned to prison—only to be released again in 1976. His case highlights how difficult reintegration into society can be after spending a lifetime behind bars.
8. Sammie Robinson – 66 Years, 85 Days
At 17 years old, Sammie Robinson was convicted and sent to prison in Louisiana, where he would remain for the next 66 years. He never regained his freedom and died in custody at the age of 83.
9. Kenneth Nicely – 65 Years, 362 Days (and counting)
Kenneth Nicely is currently Arkansas’s longest-serving inmate. Convicted of killing a police officer, he has spent more than 65 years in prison and remains incarcerated to this day.
10. Warren Nutter – 65 Years, 10 Months, 6 Days
Nutter was 18 when he was sent to prison after pleading guilty to killing 52-year-old Independence police officer Harold Pearce in January 1956. Nutter was 18 when he was sent to prison after pleading guilty to killing 52-year-old Independence police officer HarolNutter was 18 when he was sent to prison after pleading guilty to killing 52-year-old Independence police officer Harold Pearce in January 1956.
At just 18 years old, Warren Nutter became Iowa’s youngest death row inmate after killing a patrolman during a gas station robbery. His sentence was later commuted to life in prison in 1957, and he remained behind bars until his death in 2021.
Decades Behind Bars: A Life Lost to the System
The prisoners on this list spent most of their lives in confinement, some never seeing freedom again. Whether due to heinous crimes, mental health confinement, or legal technicalities, they became permanent fixtures of the prison system.
While some were eventually released in old age, the impact of spending 60+ years in prison is undeniable. Many struggled to reintegrate, and some—like Grigsby—even returned voluntarily due to the difficulties of life on the outside. These stories are a stark reminder of the power of the justice system, the weight of a life sentence and how the passage of time does not erase a crime. Did you enjoy the article? Comment below 👇🏽👇🏽
