On Thursday, Florida carried out the execution of a man convicted of raping and murdering a convenience store manager back in 1988, marking the state’s 17th execution of the year.
Richard Barry Randolph, 63, was declared dead at 6:12 p.m. after receiving a series of three lethal injections at the Florida State Penitentiary located near Stark, as confirmed by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.
Randolph was convicted in 1989 for murder, armed robbery, sexual assault, and grand larceny, leading to a death sentence.
A spokesperson for the governor reported that the execution went smoothly, and Randolph didn’t have any last words before his death.
State corrections officials noted that Randolph woke up early in the morning, ate a cheeseburger, fries, and ice cream, and had one visitor, although his spiritual advisor did not attend.
Three family members of the victim were present during the execution, which commenced around 6 p.m.
This execution brings Florida’s annual total of executions up to 17, setting a significant record.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the highest number of executions in Florida in a single year was eight, which happened in 2014.
According to court records, Randolph attempted to break into a safe at a Palatka convenience store in August 1988. He was confronted by Minnie Ruth McCallum, the manager, leading to a violent struggle.
Randolph brutally attacked McCallum—beating, strangling, stabbing, and raping her—before fleeing in his vehicle.
Witnesses reported seeing him leave the store, and they alerted the sheriff’s office after noticing something was wrong inside.
Deputies arrived to find McCallum still alive; she was transported to the hospital, where she remained in a coma until her passing six days later due to severe brain injuries.
Randolph was apprehended shortly afterward when he tried to cash stolen lottery tickets and borrowed money from a grocery store in Jacksonville. Investigators report he confessed to the crime and showed them his blood-stained clothes.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied his appeal to reverse his conviction, which he argued was based on claims that he was denied access to public records and that his attorneys acted against his wishes.
With Florida leading the U.S. in executions this year, two more individuals are set to face the death penalty next month under warrants signed by Governor DeSantis.
Mark Allen Geralds, 58, is scheduled for execution on December 9 for stabbing a woman to death during a home invasion. Meanwhile, Frank Asen Walls, also 58, will be executed on December 18; he was convicted for shooting a man and a woman during a robbery and later confessed to three additional murders.
Florida’s lethal injection protocol includes the use of sedatives, paralytics, and heart-stopping drugs, as outlined by the Department of Corrections.
