On Tuesday, Florida plans to conduct two lethal injections at the Florida State Prison near Starke, marking the first time in nearly a decade that a single state has executed two individuals on the same day.
The two men scheduled for execution are James Aren Duckett, 68, who is set to be executed at noon, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, whose execution is planned for 6 p.m.
If these executions proceed as planned, they will be the 11th and 12th carried out by Florida in 2026. This action will make Florida the first state to execute two individuals in one day since Arkansas did so in April 2017.
Such an event has not occurred in Florida since May 12, 1964, over 62 years ago.
James Aren Duckett: Former Police Officer Convicted of Child's Murder
Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer, encountered 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee on the night of May 11, 1987, as she was leaving a convenience store. Witnesses reported seeing him drive away with her in his patrol car.
The following day, a fisherman discovered her body on the shores of Lake Knight; she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Duckett was convicted in May 1988 of first-degree murder and sexual assault.
His execution was postponed in March 2026 to allow for new DNA testing on evidence that couldn't be analyzed with the technology available at the time. The results were inconclusive, neither exonerating him nor definitively linking him to the crime.
The Florida Supreme Court lifted the suspension on July 8, 2026. Duckett's attorney, Mary Elizabeth Wells, has strongly opposed the execution. "Mr. Duckett has consistently maintained his innocence. The state's duty is to ensure justice is served, not rush to execute in a case with such serious doubts about guilt," Wells stated.
Duckett is also a suspect in two other unsolved crimes: the strangulation of 22-year-old Ronette Lynn Peterson in May 1986 and the disappearance of 14-year-old Jeanifer Shyan Weldon in September 1987, though he has never been formally charged in these cases.
Dominick Occhicone: Octogenarian Faces Lethal Injection
Occhicone, if executed, will become the oldest inmate ever executed in modern Florida history and the second oldest in modern U.S. history, following 83-year-old Walter Leroy Moody Jr., executed in Alabama in 2018.
On June 10, 1986, in Holiday, Florida, Occhicone arrived armed at the home of Raymond Artzner (66) and Martha Artzner (62), his ex-girlfriend's parents, whom he blamed for their breakup. He cut the phone lines, shot Raymond in the face, and shot Martha four times. Martha died on the scene, while Raymond succumbed to his injuries at the hospital after identifying Occhicone as the attacker.
In his 1987 trial, Occhicone admitted to the acts but claimed they were not premeditated and cited severe alcoholism. He was sentenced to death for Martha's murder and life imprisonment for Raymond's.
His lawyers argue that executing a man with kidney, prostate, and heart issues, who required assistance to shower, is a cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. A judge denied the request to halt the execution.
The DeSantis Record and Pending Legal Appeals
The Florida Supreme Court recently denied the appeals from both inmates, although they have pending petitions before the U.S. Supreme Court.
These executions align with Governor Ron DeSantis's aggressive death penalty policy. His term ends in January 2027, and he oversaw a record 19 executions in 2025, the highest by any Florida governor since the death penalty's reinstatement in 1976, accounting for about 40% of all U.S. executions that year.
If Tuesday's executions proceed, DeSantis will have authorized 31 executions in his last two years in office, compared to nine in his first six years. "Some of these crimes were committed in the 1980s. Justice delayed is justice denied," DeSantis stated in 2025. "If I truly believed someone was innocent, I would not sign the execution order," he added.
Another execution is scheduled for August 2026, potentially setting a new execution record for the state.
Frequently Asked Questions about Florida's Upcoming Executions
What crimes led to James Aren Duckett's death sentence?
James Aren Duckett was sentenced to death for the 1987 murder and sexual assault of 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee.
Why is Dominick Occhicone's execution notable?
At 80 years old, Dominick Occhicone will be the oldest person executed in Florida's modern history and the second oldest in the U.S., if his execution proceeds.
What is Governor Ron DeSantis's stance on the death penalty?
Governor Ron DeSantis supports an aggressive death penalty policy, arguing that delayed justice equates to denied justice.