Florida executes 19th prisoner of 2025, more than double previous high

The United States saw a major increase in executions in 2025 compared to recent years. Data beginning in 1977 shows executions peaked in the mid-90s, before starting a consistent decline. 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 national increase this year is driven in large part by Florida, which accounted for more than a third of all executions in the U.S. in 2025. Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the increase in a November news conference. “We’re doing it to be able to bring justice to the victims’ families,” he said. “I think it’s important.”DeSantis signed more death warrants in 2025 than in any year in Florida’s history. The latest was for Frank Walls, who was convicted of killing two people in the 1980s in the Florida Panhandle. He later confessed to three more murders. Walls’ execution on Thursday marked the 19th in Florida this year, more than double the state’s previous record. Robin Maher, the executive director of The Death Penalty Information Center, a national non-profit, explained that Florida’s rise in executions is in contrast with most of the United States. Of the 27 states that have the death penalty, only 11 have carried out executions this year. “The rest of the country really continues to turn away from use of the death penalty,” Maher said. “Even in states that still permit use of the death penalty legally, many of them did not have a single capital trial this year.”PGlmcmFtZSB0aXRsZT0iUHVibGljIG9waW5pb24gb24gdGhlIGRlYXRoIHBlbmFsdHkiIGFyaWEtbGFiZWw9IkxpbmUgY2hhcnQiIGlkPSJkYXRhd3JhcHBlci1jaGFydC1NalA2QSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL2RhdGF3cmFwcGVyLmR3Y2RuLm5ldC9NalA2QS81LyIgc2Nyb2xsaW5nPSJubyIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIHN0eWxlPSJ3aWR0aDogMDsgbWluLXdpZHRoOiAxMDAlICFpbXBvcnRhbnQ7IGJvcmRlcjogbm9uZTsiIGhlaWdodD0iNDkzIiBkYXRhLWV4dGVybmFsPSIxIj48L2lmcmFtZT48c2NyaXB0IHR5cGU9InRleHQvamF2YXNjcmlwdCI+d2luZG93LmFkZEV2ZW50TGlzdGVuZXIoIm1lc3NhZ2UiLGZ1bmN0aW9uKGEpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWEuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciBlPWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgdCBpbiBhLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcixpPTA7cj1lW2ldO2krKylpZihyLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1hLnNvdXJjZSl7dmFyIGQ9YS5kYXRhWyJkYXRhd3JhcHBlci1oZWlnaHQiXVt0XSsicHgiO3Iuc3R5bGUuaGVpZ2h0PWR9fX0pOzwvc2NyaXB0Pg==Polling data shows public opinion about the death penalty has changed over the years. In 1994, 80% of people were in favor of it for a person convicted of murder. Just 16% were not in favor. Now, 30 years later, that gap has nearly closed. 52% of people are in favor of the death penalty, while 44% are not. “Here we have a complete divergence in what the public opinion polls tell us and what the number of new death sentences tell us, that Americans feel about the death penalty and what elected officials are doing. Two very, very different things,” Maher said. For crimes committed in Lee County, there are seven prisoners currently on death row. That includes the likes of Wade Wilson and Kevin Foster, who was the leader of the gang known as the Lords of Chaos. Of the seven, no one has been on death row longer than Harold Gene Lucas, whose wait has now reached nearly 50 years. “We’re like waiting for them to pick his name and say, ‘it’s your turn,'” Cindi Piper said. She and her husband, Buck, are among the family of Lucas’ victim: his ex-girlfriend, Jill Piper. She was just 16 years old when she was shot and killed in Bonita Springs back in 1976. Lucas was convicted and sentenced to death. Still today, he’s managed to stay alive. Buck Piper, Jill’s older brother, said he doesn’t understand why Lucas has not been executed. “(I have) not a clue. I really don’t,” he said. Like most death row inmates, Lucas has filed countless appeals. In one re-sentencing, the jury voted for death, but it was not unanimous. That, along with a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, appears to have afforded Lucas new legal avenues. “It just kind of got behind the cracks and never pulled out,” Cindi Piper said of Lucas’ case. While there has been a surge of executions in Florida, experts say why inmates are chosen — and when — is not always clear. Florida is one of just two states where the governor holds sole authority over the process, one that the Death Penalty Information Center has called ‘secretive and arbitrary.’What’s also unclear is the future of Lucas’ case. It’s unknown when — or even if — his name will ever be called. “Can you imagine how many people in 50 years he saw do the walk that he didn’t have to do?” Cindi Piper wondered. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

The United States saw a major increase in executions in 2025 compared to recent years.

Data beginning in 1977 shows executions peaked in the mid-90s, before starting a consistent decline.

This national increase this year is driven in large part by Florida, which accounted for more than a third of all executions in the U.S. in 2025.

Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the increase in a November news conference.

“We’re doing it to be able to bring justice to the victims’ families,” he said. “I think it’s important.”

DeSantis signed more death warrants in 2025 than in any year in Florida’s history.

The latest was for Frank Walls, who was convicted of killing two people in the 1980s in the Florida Panhandle. He later confessed to three more murders.

Walls’ execution on Thursday marked the 19th in Florida this year, more than double the state’s previous record.

Robin Maher, the executive director of The Death Penalty Information Center, a national non-profit, explained that Florida’s rise in executions is in contrast with most of the United States.

Of the 27 states that have the death penalty, only 11 have carried out executions this year.

“The rest of the country really continues to turn away from use of the death penalty,” Maher said. “Even in states that still permit use of the death penalty legally, many of them did not have a single capital trial this year.”

Polling data shows public opinion about the death penalty has changed over the years. In 1994, 80% of people were in favor of it for a person convicted of murder.

Just 16% were not in favor.

Now, 30 years later, that gap has nearly closed. 52% of people are in favor of the death penalty, while 44% are not.

“Here we have a complete divergence in what the public opinion polls tell us and what the number of new death sentences tell us, that Americans feel about the death penalty and what elected officials are doing. Two very, very different things,” Maher said.

For crimes committed in Lee County, there are seven prisoners currently on death row. That includes the likes of Wade Wilson and Kevin Foster, who was the leader of the gang known as the Lords of Chaos.

Of the seven, no one has been on death row longer than Harold Gene Lucas, whose wait has now reached nearly 50 years.

“We’re like waiting for them to pick his name and say, ‘it’s your turn,'” Cindi Piper said. She and her husband, Buck, are among the family of Lucas’ victim: his ex-girlfriend, Jill Piper.

She was just 16 years old when she was shot and killed in Bonita Springs back in 1976.

Lucas was convicted and sentenced to death.

Still today, he’s managed to stay alive.

Buck Piper, Jill’s older brother, said he doesn’t understand why Lucas has not been executed.

“(I have) not a clue. I really don’t,” he said.

Like most death row inmates, Lucas has filed countless appeals.

In one re-sentencing, the jury voted for death, but it was not unanimous. That, along with a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, appears to have afforded Lucas new legal avenues.

“It just kind of got behind the cracks and never pulled out,” Cindi Piper said of Lucas’ case.

While there has been a surge of executions in Florida, experts say why inmates are chosen — and when — is not always clear.

Florida is one of just two states where the governor holds sole authority over the process, one that the Death Penalty Information Center has called ‘secretive and arbitrary.’

What’s also unclear is the future of Lucas’ case. It’s unknown when — or even if — his name will ever be called.

“Can you imagine how many people in 50 years he saw do the walk that he didn’t have to do?” Cindi Piper wondered.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.