On a recent Tuesday, Florida carried out two executions, becoming the first state in nearly a decade to do so in a single day. Among those executed was an 80-year-old man, the second-oldest known inmate to receive lethal injection in modern U.S. history. Earlier the same day, a former police officer convicted of murdering a young girl was also executed.
Increased Execution Pace Under Governor DeSantis
Florida’s death chamber, under Governor Ron DeSantis, has seen increased activity. In his final term, DeSantis aimed to bring justice swiftly, stating that families have waited too long. These executions occurred just hours apart, reminiscent of Arkansas’s two executions in quick succession in 2017. DeSantis exercised his authority to set these execution dates earlier this month.
Nationwide, the death penalty’s use has declined over the past two decades. However, Florida has seen an increase in executions this year. With 2025 alone accounting for nearly half of the national executions, this rise is significant.
Details of the Executed Inmates
Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, was declared dead at 6:13 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. His execution followed almost five hours after ex-police officer James Aren Duckett, 68, received his lethal dose in the same chamber. Occhicone, convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986, became Florida’s oldest executed prisoner in history.
Occhicone, when asked for a final statement, thanked his Christian brothers for their visits over the years and apologized to his and the victim’s families. He admitted remorse, saying, “I know it don’t mean much, but I’m sorry. I never meant to do what I did.” During his execution, Occhicone’s breathing slowed, and responses ceased after officials shook and called out to him.
Execution of a Former Police Officer
Earlier, Duckett became the 11th inmate executed by Florida this year. Convicted of raping and drowning 11-year-old Teresa McAbee while serving as a police officer in 1987, he declined to make a final statement. He was announced dead at 1:19 p.m.
The victim’s family expressed decades-long suffering. “I waited nearly 40 years to have him dead,” shared Dorthy Tula, Teresa’s mother. Tracy Mcfall-Buskirk, a cousin, spoke about Duckett’s misuse of his badge.
DeSantis Leaves With Record Execution Numbers
Across the nation, 19 executions have occurred this year, including those on Tuesday. Florida has conducted 12 executions so far in 2026, outnumbering other states’ combined totals. Governor DeSantis, leaving office in January, oversaw 19 executions in one year—a state record since the death penalty’s reinstatement in 1976. An additional execution in Florida is scheduled for August.
The group Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty urged DeSantis to stop both executions, labeling the event as an “unprecedented escalation.” Executive Director Grace Hanna mentioned the growing evidence that capital punishment isn’t a Floridians’ preference.
Governor DeSantis hasn’t specified the reasoning behind scheduling two executions in one day. He previously highlighted that some death row inmates committed crimes dating back to the 1980s. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” he emphasized.
Execution Process and Legal Proceedings
Records indicate that multiple daily executions were more common in the past, with the last occurring in 1964. The U.S. Supreme Court denied the final appeals of both executed men on Tuesday, as did the Florida Supreme Court previously. Florida utilizes a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug to stop the heart for executions, according to the Department of Corrections.