Nation Walter Barton put to death in Missouri for 1991 murder, the first US execution during the coronavirus outbreak May 19, 2020 USA TODAY Comments Off on Walter Barton put to death in Missouri for 1991 murder, the first US execution during the coronavirus outbreak A Missouri man was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday for killing an 81-year-old woman in 1991, the first U.S. execution amid coronavirus.