In Starke, Florida, a former police officer was executed for the rape and murder of a young girl on Tuesday. This marked the first of two scheduled executions on the same day by the state. Hours later, an 80-year-old man was set for execution, the second-oldest individual to face such a penalty in the U.S. in recent history.
This event mirrors the back-to-back executions last seen in Arkansas in 2017. Since Republican Governor Ron DeSantis began his term, Florida’s executions have accelerated, achieving the highest rate in the nation since the death penalty’s reinstatement in 1976.
James Aren Duckett, 68, was declared dead at 1:19 p.m. after receiving a lethal injection at Florida State Prison. Duckett, the 11th individual executed by Florida this year, was convicted of raping and drowning an 11-year-old girl in 1987 while serving as a police officer. He declined to give a final statement. After the execution began, the warden’s attempts to get a response went unanswered.
Later that day, Dominick Anthony Occhicone, an 80-year-old man convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986, was scheduled for execution. Before this day, 17 executions had taken place across the U.S. in the year, with Florida leading these statistics. Both men had made unsuccessful last-minute appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming various injustices in their cases.
Occhicone’s lawyers argued that his age-related health issues might make the execution unduly painful, hinting at cruel and unusual punishment. Despite criticisms, DeSantis has not explained his decision for scheduling these executions so closely.
The Department of Corrections in Florida assured its readiness to carry out both executions. Execution involves administering a sedative, a paralytic, and a heart-stopping drug.
Governor DeSantis’ tenure has seen a record 19 executions in 2025, outpacing any other governor in Florida since the mid-1970s. This brings the total to 31 executions during his last two years in office, compared to nine in his initial six years.
Historically, the practice of two executions in a single day is rare but not unprecedented. Similar occurrences took place in Arkansas in 2017 and Texas in 2000, the latter executing 40 prisoners that year.
Critics of the death penalty, like Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, have expressed concern over the state’s growing reliance on executions. Their executive director, Grace Hanna, highlighted that, despite differing case details, the state’s continued application of capital punishment may not align with public sentiment.
Governor DeSantis has rarely addressed his actions’ pace but emphasized delivering justice for victims’ families. He has stated that delays in executions equate to denials of justice.
If carried out, Occhicone will be the oldest executed inmate in Florida, following the execution of two 74-year-old men earlier this year. Occhicone would become the second-oldest executed in the modern U.S. after Walter Moody Jr.’s execution in 2018 in Alabama.
In February, DeSantis initially signed Duckett’s death warrant for an execution slated in March. However, the execution was stayed to allow DNA testing of old evidence, which yielded inconclusive results. Occhicone’s execution was scheduled independently, but a rescheduling led both executions to occur on the same day, a practice not seen since 1964.