<Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Sentence start </Th> <Th> Sentence end </Th> <Th> Sentence duration </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Charles Fossard </Td> <Td> 1903 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 70 years , 303 days </Td> <Td> Australia </Td> <Td> Homeless French Australian immigrant recluded in the J Ward mental asylum in Ararat , Victoria after murdering an elderly man and stealing his boots . Died while still incarcerated at the age of 92 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Paul Geidel Jr . </Td> <Td> 1911 </Td> <Td> 1980 </Td> <Td> 68 years , 245 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Longest - serving prison inmate in the United States whose sentence ended in release . Incarcerated from 1911 , aged 17 and released 1980 at 86 . He died in a nursing home in 1987 , aged 93 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Francis Clifford Smith </Td> <Td> 7 June 1950 </Td> <Td> ongoing </Td> <Td> 7004249160000000000 ♠ 68 years , 79 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Oldest prisoner in the United States . Sentenced to death for the murder of a nightwatchman during a robbery at a yacht club in July 1949 , his sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1954 , only two hours before his scheduled execution . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Johnson Van Dyke Grigsby </Td> <Td> 1908 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 66 years , 123 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Sentenced to life in prison for murder , he was denied parole 33 times before he was released at age 89 . Returned to prison voluntarily , citing difficulty finding a job , but left again in 1976 . Died in 1987 , aged 101 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> William Heirens </Td> <Td> 1946 </Td> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> 65 years , 181 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Known as the `` Lipstick Killer '' . Reputed to be the longest surviving prisoner in Chicago . Died in prison . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> John Phillips </Td> <Td> 17 July 1952 </Td> <Td> ongoing </Td> <Td> 7004241450000000000 ♠ 66 years , 39 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Longest serving prisoner in North Carolina . Convicted for the rape of a five - year - old girl . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Clarence Marshall </Td> <Td> 1950 </Td> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> 64 years , 70 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Longest - serving prisoner in Michigan . Sentenced to life in prison on one count of armed robbery and another of unarmed assault `` with intent to rob and steal '' . Paroled . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Richard Honeck </Td> <Td> 1899 </Td> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> 64 years , 44 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Aged 22 , Honeck was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a former school friend . He was paroled after 63 years and one month . He died in 1976 , aged 97 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Howard Christensen </Td> <Td> 1937 </Td> <Td> 2001 </Td> <Td> 64 years </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Sentenced to life without parole for the murder of a teacher in 1937 , when he was 16 , along with a 17 - year - old accomplice who hanged himself in prison in 1943 . His sentence was commuted to 200 years in the mid-1970s . Died in 2003 , aged 82 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Charles Edret Ford </Td> <Td> 1952 </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> 64 years </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Prisoner incarcerated for the longest time who was found to be innocent on retrial , and the longest serving prisoner in Maryland . Ford , a black man , was convicted for murder by an all - white jury in 1952 , when he was 20 , and again for an assault in 1975 supposedly committed while he was on parole . The second victim identified a different man as her attacker but the judge argued that both men looked alike enough . Ford , at the time the only person present at his first conviction who was still alive , was granted retrials in 2015 for both charges because he had not been informed of his right to appeal the sentences . He was found innocent of both and released to a nursing home . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Joseph Ligon </Td> <Td> 1953 </Td> <Td> ongoing </Td> <Td> 7004236260000000000 ♠ 64 years , 250 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Believed to be the oldest juvenile convict in the world . Serving a life sentence for murder which began when he was 15 years old . Rejected
<Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Sentence start </Th> <Th> Sentence end </Th> <Th> Sentence duration </Th> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Charles Fossard </Td> <Td> 1903 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 70 years , 303 days </Td> <Td> Australia </Td> <Td> Homeless French Australian immigrant recluded in the J Ward mental asylum in Ararat , Victoria after murdering an elderly man and stealing his boots . Died while still incarcerated at the age of 92 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Paul Geidel Jr . </Td> <Td> 1911 </Td> <Td> 1980 </Td> <Td> 68 years , 245 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Longest - serving prison inmate in the United States whose sentence ended in release . Incarcerated from 1911 , aged 17 and released 1980 at 86 . He died in a nursing home in 1987 , aged 93 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Francis Clifford Smith </Td> <Td> 7 June 1950 </Td> <Td> ongoing </Td> <Td> 7004249160000000000 ♠ 68 years , 79 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Oldest prisoner in the United States . Sentenced to death for the murder of a nightwatchman during a robbery at a yacht club in July 1949 , his sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1954 , only two hours before his scheduled execution . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Johnson Van Dyke Grigsby </Td> <Td> 1908 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 66 years , 123 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Sentenced to life in prison for murder , he was denied parole 33 times before he was released at age 89 . Returned to prison voluntarily , citing difficulty finding a job , but left again in 1976 . Died in 1987 , aged 101 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> William Heirens </Td> <Td> 1946 </Td> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> 65 years , 181 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Known as the `` Lipstick Killer '' . Reputed to be the longest surviving prisoner in Chicago . Died in prison . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> John Phillips </Td> <Td> 17 July 1952 </Td> <Td> ongoing </Td> <Td> 7004241450000000000 ♠ 66 years , 39 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Longest serving prisoner in North Carolina . Convicted for the rape of a five - year - old girl . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Clarence Marshall </Td> <Td> 1950 </Td> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> 64 years , 70 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Longest - serving prisoner in Michigan . Sentenced to life in prison on one count of armed robbery and another of unarmed assault `` with intent to rob and steal '' . Paroled . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Richard Honeck </Td> <Td> 1899 </Td> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> 64 years , 44 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Aged 22 , Honeck was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a former school friend . He was paroled after 63 years and one month . He died in 1976 , aged 97 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Howard Christensen </Td> <Td> 1937 </Td> <Td> 2001 </Td> <Td> 64 years </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Sentenced to life without parole for the murder of a teacher in 1937 , when he was 16 , along with a 17 - year - old accomplice who hanged himself in prison in 1943 . His sentence was commuted to 200 years in the mid-1970s . Died in 2003 , aged 82 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Charles Edret Ford </Td> <Td> 1952 </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> 64 years </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Prisoner incarcerated for the longest time who was found to be innocent on retrial , and the longest serving prisoner in Maryland . Ford , a black man , was convicted for murder by an all - white jury in 1952 , when he was 20 , and again for an assault in 1975 supposedly committed while he was on parole . The second victim identified a different man as her attacker but the judge argued that both men looked alike enough . Ford , at the time the only person present at his first conviction who was still alive , was granted retrials in 2015 for both charges because he had not been informed of his right to appeal the sentences . He was found innocent of both and released to a nursing home . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Joseph Ligon </Td> <Td> 1953 </Td> <Td> ongoing </Td> <Td> 7004236260000000000 ♠ 64 years , 250 days </Td> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> Believed to be the oldest juvenile convict in the world . Serving a life sentence for murder which began when he was 15 years old . Rejected
who is the longest serving prisoner in australia
who is the longest serving prisoner in australia
Charles Fossard
Charles Fossard