CALEB CALIFANO, WPBF 25 NEWS, A FORMER FLORIDA POLICE OFFICER NOW SET TO BE PUT TO DEATH FOR THE RAPE AND MURDER OF AN 11 YEAR OLD GIRL. GOVERNOR DESANTIS SIGNING THAT DEATH WARRANT FOR JAMES ERIN DUCKETT. DUCKETT WAS A FORMER POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF MASCOT. THAT’S IN LAKE COUNTY. HE WAS CONVICTED BACK IN 1988 FOR THE RAPE AND MURDER OF TERESA MCABEE. BACK IN 1987. MCABEE WAS LAST SEEN GETTING INTO HIS PATROL CAR. OFFICIALS FOUND HER BODY IN A LAKE, AND HER FINGERPRINTS WERE FOUND ON DUCKETT’S CAR.
Former Florida police officer to be executed for 1987 murder of 11-year-old girl
Updated: 4:20 PM EST Mar 3, 2026
James Aren Duckett, a former police officer for the city of Mascotte in Lake County, Florida, is scheduled to be executed on March 31 for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in 1987. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Duckett, who was convicted in 1988 after McAbee was last seen getting inside Duckett’s patrol car. Officials found her body in a lake, and her fingerprints were found on Duckett’s car. Duckett has maintained his innocence in the case. Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. —
James Aren Duckett, a former police officer for the city of Mascotte in Lake County, Florida, is scheduled to be executed on March 31 for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in 1987.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Duckett, who was convicted in 1988 after McAbee was last seen getting inside Duckett’s patrol car.
Officials found her body in a lake, and her fingerprints were found on Duckett’s car. Duckett has maintained his innocence in the case.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.