2 Men Scheduled to Be Put to Death in Florida’s Rare Double Execution
Sandego.net – 2 men scheduled to be put to death in Florida on Tuesday marks a historic moment for the state’s criminal justice system. This will be the first time in over 60 years that Florida executes multiple inmates within a single day, as officials continue to accelerate the pace of capital punishment across the Sunshine State.
Father Dustin Feddon, a Catholic priest who has visited Florida’s death row inmates for more than a decade, shared his perspective on the unusual scheduling. “I’m not shocked anymore by the number of death warrants that are being signed, but it struck me as a kind of rupture to the system that we would execute two people within six hours from one another,” Feddon explained. He currently ministers to James Duckett, who faces execution at noon on Tuesday.
Historic Cases and Victims’ Stories
Duckett has spent more than three decades on death row following his 1987 conviction for the murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee. Court documents reveal that Duckett, a former police officer in Mascotte, Florida, was the last person seen with McAbee before her body was discovered in a lake. The medical examiner determined she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and drowned.
Hours after Duckett’s scheduled execution, the state plans to put Dominick Occhicone to death. The 80-year-old would become the second octogenarian ever executed in the modern era of the US death penalty, according to Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) data. Occhicone was convicted of double-murder in 1987 for killing his former girlfriend’s parents, Raymond and Martha Artzner.
“The State’s duty is to ensure that justice is done, and not rush to kill in a case with such serious doubts over guilt,” Duckett’s defense attorneys stated in a recent statement.
Florida’s Accelerated Execution Pace
The scheduling of two executions – both via lethal injection – in one day reflects Florida’s growing commitment to capital punishment. Under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration, the state executed 19 death row inmates in 2025, setting a record high and more than doubling the state’s previous modern-era record, according to DPIC.
Florida has already executed 10 prisoners this year alone. Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel at the ACLU’s Capital Punishment Project, told CNN: “This administration is the most active death penalty administration we’ve ever seen.”
However, the increased pace raises concerns among advocates. Florida leads the nation in death row exonerations, with DPIC data showing that 30 people on Florida’s death row have been freed since 1973 after serving time for crimes they didn’t commit.
When questioned about the accelerated schedule, a governor’s spokesperson referenced previous comments expressing belief that the death penalty is an “appropriate punishment for the worst offenders” and could serve as a “strong deterrent.” “There’s victims’ families that are wanting to see justice, that I’m doing my part to deliver that,” he said in November 2025.
Legal Challenges and Public Reaction
Both inmates have filed lawsuits seeking to halt their executions, including appeals arguing they could suffer so-called “botched” executions due to the compressed timeline. Those appeals remain pending as the state moves forward with the historic double execution.
Carrying out multiple executions within a single day is rare in the modern era, with only two states accomplishing this feat in the past 26 years: Arkansas in 2017 and Texas in 2000. Florida hasn’t executed more than one person in a single day since 1964, according to state correctional records.
Maya Foa, CEO of Reprieve, an international nonprofit opposing the death penalty, warned about potential complications. “To add in that kind of pressure in Florida, where already there have been more executions in that one state alone than there have been in the rest of the US this year – it’s asking for more problems,” she said.
Both Duckett and Occhicone were convicted by juries, and appellate courts have denied multiple attempts to overturn their death sentences. Duckett has maintained his innocence throughout, and the Florida Supreme Court recently cleared the way for his execution after post-conviction DNA testing results came back inconclusive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When are the 2 men scheduled to be put to death? A: Both James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone are scheduled for execution on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, with Duckett’s execution set for noon and Occhicone’s to follow hours later.
Q: Why is this double execution considered rare? A: This marks the first time in over 60 years that Florida has executed multiple inmates within a single day. Only two other states have done this in the past 26 years.
Q: What crimes were Duckett and Occhicone convicted of? A: Duckett was convicted of murdering 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in 1987, while Occhicone was convicted of double-murder for killing his former girlfriend’s parents, Raymond and Martha Artzner.
Q: Are there any legal challenges preventing the executions? A: Both inmates have filed lawsuits seeking to halt their executions, arguing they could suffer botched executions due to the compressed timeline. Their appeals remain pending.
Q: How does Florida compare to other states in executions? A: Florida has executed more inmates this year than the rest of the US combined, with 19 executions in 2025 setting a modern-era record for the state.
