Florida executed two inmates on the same day for the first time in nearly a decade: 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone and former officer James Aren Duckett, 68. Both men were convicted of murders dating to the 1980s; final appeals were denied. Governor Ron DeSantis scheduled the back-to-back executions amid criticism from rights groups and concerns raised by defense attorneys about DNA evidence and the elderly inmate's health. Since 2025, Florida has carried out a disproportionate share of U.S. executions, fueling national debate over the state's use of capital punishment.
Florida Executes Two Men in One Day, Including 80-Year-Old; Governor Schedules Back-to-Back Lethal Injections
James Aren Duckett, left, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone died by lethal injection Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke. - Florida Department of Corrections
Florida carried out two executions on the same day, the first time a U.S. state has done so in nearly a decade. The second execution that day put to death 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone, making him the oldest person executed in Florida since modern record-keeping began. Earlier that afternoon, former police officer James Aren Duckett, 68, was executed for the 1987 rape and drowning of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee.
Timeline and Details
Duckett was pronounced dead at 1:19 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke after receiving a three-drug lethal injection. Occhicone was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. at the same facility less than five hours later. Florida Department of Corrections officials say the state's protocol uses a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart.
Convictions and Appeals
Occhicone was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents in 1986. Duckett was convicted in 1987 of raping and drowning 11-year-old Teresa McAbee while he served as a police officer in central Florida. Duckett's attorneys had challenged the handling of DNA evidence; a stay issued earlier this year allowed additional testing, but the results were inconclusive and judges allowed the conviction to stand. The U.S. Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court denied last appeals for both men.
The executions took place at Florida State Prison, seen here in 2023. - Curt Anderson/AP
Legal and Humanitarian Concerns
Occhicone's lawyers argued that his advanced age and medical conditions, including kidney and prostate problems, could make the execution unusually painful and amount to cruel and unusual punishment. Advocates and opponents of capital punishment criticized the decision to carry out two executions on the same day, calling the move an unprecedented escalation of Florida's use of the death penalty.
'I waited nearly 40 years to have him dead,' said Dorthy Tula, the victim's mother, after Duckett's execution. 'This man took advantage of his badge,' added a relative.
Political Context and Statistics
Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, in the final months of his term, has accelerated the pace of executions in Florida. Officials say DeSantis used his authority under state law to set execution dates, scheduling both men for the same day after the Florida Supreme Court removed a stay in one case. Since the start of 2025, Florida has executed 30 people while the rest of the U.S. combined have carried out 35 executions over the same period. In 2026 alone, Florida has accounted for a large share of the nation's executions.
Reactions
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and other advocacy groups urged the governor to halt the executions, calling the back-to-back schedule an escalation of capital punishment use in the state. The group's executive director noted ongoing public debate about whether Florida's recent increase in executions reflects broader public sentiment.
Legal teams for the men raised concerns about evidence and the potential risks posed by age and health conditions. DeSantis has defended the schedule by saying victims' families had waited too long for justice and that he owed them a smooth process.
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