\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRight now, there are 253 people on death row in Florida. Among the inmates is a man who\u2019s been there for nearly 50 years. He has one of the longest tenures on death row in the state. Meanwhile, his victim\u2019s family \u2013 one of the oldest families in Bonita Springs \u2013 is left waiting with little to no explanation of why they haven\u2019t yet gotten closure. BONITA SPRINGS: \u2018IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GROW UP\u2019 Buck Piper has seen time change Bonita Springs. It\u2019s much different now than it was during his childhood. \u201cI remember when there were no stop lights,\u201d Piper joked. \u201cLater on in the ’70s, we got a couple.\u201d The Piper family is well known in the city. They opened the Everglades Wonder Gardens in the 1930s and ran it for about 80 years. \u201cIt was a great place to grow up as a kid,\u201d Piper recalled. \u201cAll we needed was a little runaround boat to get from one bay to the other.” But for all that\u2019s changed over the past five decades, the time passed has not been able to take away the pain of the Piper family’s worst moment. 1976 MURDER: \u2018IT WAS LIKE A HORROR SCENE\u2019 Buck and his wife Cindi Piper will never forget the summer it happened. “Those are the kind of things \u2013 you remember everything,\u201d Cindi Piper recalled. \u201cIt was like a horror scene.” It was August of 1976. They got a call warning of problems at Buck\u2019s parents’ house and rushed over. In the front yard, Buck’s little sister Jill Piper \u2013 just 16 years old \u2013 lay dead. She\u2019d been shot several times and murdered. \u201cI tried cradling her, you know,\u201d Buck Piper recalled. \u201cJust told her I loved her.\u201d It was an unthinkable crime in small 1970s Bonita Springs, and the search was on for the suspect \u2013 Jill\u2019s ex-boyfriend \u2013 Harold Gene Lucas. He\u2019d also shot two others at the house, who survived. After one week, he was in police custody. He claimed at the time he couldn\u2019t recall the shooting because he\u2019d consumed large amounts of drugs and alcohol. In less than a year, Lucas was tried \u2013 found guilty \u2013 and sentenced to death. It was quick closure for a heartbroken family. \u201cIt’s a done deal,\u201d Buck Piper recalled thinking. \u201cWithin a couple of years, it’ll be all said and done.” Little did they know then… that was only the beginning. NEARLY 50 YEARS LATER, LUCAS REMAINS ON DEATH ROW First, it was one appeal for Lucas, then another. There were new hearings, re-sentencings and court rulings that started the process over again. Months would pass, then years, then decades. Still today, Lucas remains on death row. He\u2019s now been there for nearly 50 years. Buck Piper doesn\u2019t know why Lucas has not been executed yet. \u201cNot a clue. I really don’t,\u201d he said. \u201cEven though it’s been appealed, it’s never been overturned.\u201d “I don’t know why this guy has been on death row for 50 years,” Lee Hollander said. Hollander, a defense attorney, is not involved in Lucas’ case. But he has defended other suspects who\u2019ve received the death penalty, including convicted murderers Joseph Zieler and Wade Wilson. Hollander said there are several different types of appeals, and the process typically does drag out for years. \u201cIt just takes a long time,\u201d he explained. Still, he admits, 50 years is unusual. The average time on death row in Florida is 23 years. Lucas has more than doubled that. “Can you imagine how many people in 50 years he saw do the walk that he didn’t have to do?” Cindi Piper said. FLORIDA RAMPS UP EXECUTIONS IN 2025 It\u2019s not that Florida is slowing its executions. In fact \u2013 it’s quite the opposite. This year, 17 inmates have been executed, with two more still scheduled. That\u2019s more than any year in the state\u2019s history. \u201cI’m not sure why the push to execute all these people,\u201d Hollander said. “Life in prison means life in prison. They bring you out in a box.\u201d In an early November news conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis answered a question about the record number of executions. \u201cWe\u2019re doing it to be able to bring justice to the victims\u2019 families. And I think it\u2019s important,\u201d he said in part. NON-PROFIT: FLORIDA\u2019S SELECTION PROCESS FOR EXECUTIONS IS \u2018ABITRARY\u2019 In Florida, the governor signs the death warrants. Most inmates executed this year were for crimes committed in the 1990s. Gulf Coast News reached out to the governor\u2019s office to ask about Lucas\u2019 case and to find out how inmates are chosen for execution. We have not gotten a response. A nonprofit that tracks death penalty data has said that Florida\u2019s selection process appears \u2018secretive and arbitrary.\u2019 “We’re like waiting for them to pick his name and say, \u2018It’s your turn,\u2019\u201d Cindi Piper said. COURT FILINGS REVEAL A LENGTHY, COMPLICATED LEGAL CASE Gulf Coast News also reached out to the state attorney\u2019s office for an update on Lucas\u2019 case. A spokesperson did not respond to our inquiry. In one of Lucas\u2019 re-sentencings, a jury voted 11-1 to recommend death. It was not unanimous. That, in conjunction with a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, appears to have opened new legal avenues for Lucas. It could be why the governor has yet to sign his death warrant.It\u2019s not clear when his case will finally be resolved. PIPER FAMILY STILL WAITS FOR CLOSURE Over nearly 50 years, for all that time has changed in Bonita Springs, for all it\u2019s taken from the Pipers, somehow it has yet to give them what they so desperately need: closure. Buck Piper’s father died, still waiting for it. He now worries his mother will too. \u201cI just feel bad for that little 86-year-old woman in Alabama. My mom. Her and dad never, they never got over the loss of their daughter,\u201d he said. “It’s something that still weighs on her mind to this day.” DOWNLOAD\u202fthe free\u202fGulf Coast News app\u202ffor 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.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tBONITA SPRINGS, Fla. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Right now, there are 253 people<\/a> on death row in Florida. <\/p>\n Among the inmates is a man who\u2019s been there for nearly 50 years. He has one of the longest tenures on death row in the state. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, his victim\u2019s family \u2013 one of the oldest families in Bonita Springs \u2013 is left waiting with little to no explanation of why they haven\u2019t yet gotten closure. <\/p>\n BONITA SPRINGS: \u2018IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GROW UP\u2019 <\/p>\n Buck Piper has seen time change Bonita Springs. <\/p>\n It\u2019s much different now than it was during his childhood. <\/p>\n \u201cI remember when there were no stop lights,\u201d Piper joked. \u201cLater on in the ’70s, we got a couple.\u201d <\/p>\n The Piper family is well known in the city. They opened the Everglades Wonder Gardens in the 1930s and ran it for about 80 years. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was a great place to grow up as a kid,\u201d Piper recalled. \u201cAll we needed was a little runaround boat to get from one bay to the other.” <\/p>\n But for all that\u2019s changed over the past five decades, the time passed has not been able to take away the pain of the Piper family’s worst moment. <\/p>\n 1976 MURDER: \u2018IT WAS LIKE A HORROR SCENE\u2019 <\/p>\n Buck and his wife Cindi Piper will never forget the summer it happened. <\/p>\n “Those are the kind of things \u2013 you remember everything,\u201d Cindi Piper recalled. \u201cIt was like a horror scene.” <\/p>\n It was August of 1976. They got a call warning of problems at Buck\u2019s parents’ house and rushed over. <\/p>\n In the front yard, Buck’s little sister Jill Piper \u2013 just 16 years old \u2013 lay dead. <\/p>\n She\u2019d been shot several times and murdered. <\/p>\n \u201cI tried cradling her, you know,\u201d Buck Piper recalled. \u201cJust told her I loved her.\u201d <\/p>\n It was an unthinkable crime in small 1970s Bonita Springs, and the search was on for the suspect \u2013 Jill\u2019s ex-boyfriend \u2013 Harold Gene Lucas. He\u2019d also shot two others at the house, who survived. <\/p>\n After one week, he was in police custody. He claimed at the time he couldn\u2019t recall the shooting because he\u2019d consumed large amounts of drugs and alcohol. <\/p>\n In less than a year, Lucas was tried \u2013 found guilty \u2013 and sentenced to death. <\/p>\n It was quick closure for a heartbroken family. <\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a done deal,\u201d Buck Piper recalled thinking. \u201cWithin a couple of years, it’ll be all said and done.” <\/p>\n Little did they know then… that was only the beginning. <\/p>\n NEARLY 50 YEARS LATER, LUCAS REMAINS ON DEATH ROW <\/p>\n First, it was one appeal for Lucas, then another. There were new hearings, re-sentencings and court rulings that started the process over again. <\/p>\n Months would pass, then years, then decades. <\/p>\n Still today, Lucas<\/a> remains on death row. He\u2019s now been there for nearly 50 years. <\/p>\n Buck Piper doesn\u2019t know why Lucas has not been executed yet. <\/p>\n \u201cNot a clue. I really don’t,\u201d he said. \u201cEven though it’s been appealed, it’s never been overturned.\u201d <\/p>\n “I don’t know why this guy has been on death row for 50 years,” Lee Hollander said. <\/p>\n Hollander, a defense attorney, is not involved in Lucas’ case. But he has defended other suspects who\u2019ve received the death penalty, including convicted murderers Joseph Zieler<\/a> and Wade Wilson.<\/a> <\/p>\n Hollander said there are several different types of appeals, and the process typically does drag out for years. <\/p>\n \u201cIt just takes a long time,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n Still, he admits, 50 years is unusual. <\/p>\n The average<\/a> time on death row in Florida is 23 years. Lucas has more than doubled that. <\/p>\n “Can you imagine how many people in 50 years he saw do the walk that he didn’t have to do?” Cindi Piper said. <\/p>\n FLORIDA RAMPS UP EXECUTIONS IN 2025 <\/p>\n It\u2019s not that Florida is slowing its executions. In fact \u2013 it’s quite the opposite. <\/p>\n This year, 17 inmates have been executed<\/a>, with two more still scheduled. <\/p>\n That\u2019s more than any year in the state\u2019s history. <\/p>\n \u201cI’m not sure why the push to execute all these people,\u201d Hollander said. “Life in prison means life in prison. They bring you out in a box.\u201d <\/p>\n In an early November news conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis answered a question about the record number of executions. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re doing it to be able to bring justice to the victims\u2019 families. And I think it\u2019s important,\u201d he said in part. <\/p>\n NON-PROFIT: FLORIDA\u2019S SELECTION PROCESS FOR EXECUTIONS IS \u2018ABITRARY\u2019 <\/p>\n In Florida, the governor signs the death warrants. Most inmates executed<\/a> this year were for crimes committed in the 1990s. <\/p>\n Gulf Coast News reached out to the governor\u2019s office to ask about Lucas\u2019 case and to find out how inmates are chosen for execution. We have not gotten a response. <\/p>\n A nonprofit<\/a> that tracks death penalty data has said that Florida\u2019s selection process appears \u2018secretive and arbitrary.\u2019 <\/p>\n “We’re like waiting for them to pick his name and say, \u2018It’s your turn,\u2019\u201d Cindi Piper said. <\/p>\n COURT FILINGS REVEAL A LENGTHY, COMPLICATED LEGAL CASE <\/p>\n Gulf Coast News also reached out to the state attorney\u2019s office for an update on Lucas\u2019 case. A spokesperson did not respond to our inquiry. <\/p>\n In one of Lucas\u2019 re-sentencings, a jury voted 11-1 to recommend death. It was not unanimous. <\/p>\n That, in conjunction with a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling<\/a>, appears to have opened new legal avenues for Lucas. It could be why the governor has yet to sign his death warrant.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not clear when his case<\/a> will finally be resolved. <\/p>\n PIPER FAMILY STILL WAITS FOR CLOSURE <\/p>\n Over nearly 50 years, for all that time has changed in Bonita Springs, for all it\u2019s taken from the Pipers, somehow it has yet to give them what they so desperately need: closure. <\/p>\n Buck Piper’s father died, still waiting for it. <\/p>\n He now worries his mother will too. <\/p>\n \u201cI just feel bad for that little 86-year-old woman in Alabama. My mom. Her and dad never, they never got over the loss of their daughter,\u201d he said. “It’s something that still weighs on her mind to this day.” <\/p>\n DOWNLOAD\u202fthe free\u202fGulf Coast News app<\/a>\u202ffor 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<\/a> to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Right now, there are 253 people on death row in Florida. 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