Florida Executes 77-Year-Old, Highlighting Rise in Elderly Executions

Florida executed a 77-year-old death row inmate on Tuesday, marking the state’s 18th execution of 2026. This adds to a significant number of elderly prisoners put to death, as the state nears its annual execution record. William Reaves was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. following a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1986 shooting death of Richard Raczkoski, an Indian River County sheriff’s deputy.

Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers commented after the execution.

Would we all be so lucky to be 77 years old and to die so peacefully? That’s not justice in any way, in my opinion.

The execution was Florida’s 18th this year under Governor Ron DeSantis, who has overseen a swift pace of executions during his final term. Florida set a record with 19 executions in 2025 and might match that if another execution proceeds next month. Reaves was the eighth Florida inmate age 70 or older executed this year, drawing attention to the aging population on death row both in Florida and nationally.

Data from the Death Penalty Information Center shows Reaves was sentenced to death 34 years before his execution. Other Florida inmates executed this year spent nearly three decades or more on death row. Florida’s execution pace makes it a national outlier, conducting 18 of the 32 U.S. executions this year, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Why Florida’s Death Row Inmates Are Aging

The issue gained attention over the summer with Florida scheduling executions for several elderly inmates. Debates arose over executing elderly, frail inmates after long waits for appeal outcomes. Supporters of capital punishment argue appeals ensure constitutional protections and avoid wrongful executions but delay justice for victims’ families. Opponents see humanitarian concerns and question the punishment’s purpose.

The Death Penalty Information Center found that death rows have aged over time as appeals have lengthened. The organization’s research shows the median age of executed U.S. inmates has increased in recent decades.

Reaves’ Final Appeals

Reaves’ attorneys challenged Florida’s lethal injection protocol. They argued jurors weren’t informed that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found him 100 percent disabled due to service-related PTSD from Vietnam. Over 100 military veterans requested Governor DeSantis halt the execution. The governor did not intervene, and the U.S. Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court declined to do so.

Court records state Raczkoski responded to a 911 call by Reaves at a Vero Beach convenience store on September 23, 1986. Authorities reported a gun fell from Reaves’ clothing, leading to a struggle. Investigators said the deputy was trying to flee when Reaves shot him four times, resulting in his death.

After the execution, Marc Raczkoski, the deputy’s brother, said his brother finally received justice. Sheriff Flowers referred to the execution as closure rather than justice. Florida is scheduled to execute another inmate, Jesse Guardado, on November 5. This could match last year’s record 19 executions.