Two Florida Death Row Inmates Scheduled for Execution on Same Day
Two inmates on Florida’s death row are facing execution on the same day, as revealed in recent court documents.
A letter from Governor Ron DeSantis has confirmed that 69-year-old James Duckett, a former police officer from Mascotte, will be executed on July 28th. This is the same date set for 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone’s execution.
Duckett was convicted in 1988 for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in Lake County, while Occhicone was found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in Pasco County in 1986.
Initially, Duckett was set to be executed on March 31, 2026, but his execution was paused for advanced DNA testing on evidence from the crime scene. However, after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported inconclusive results, the Florida Supreme Court lifted the stay on July 8, 2026, and denied Duckett’s appeal, allowing the Governor to reschedule the execution.
For nearly four decades, Duckett has insisted on his innocence. His legal team is seeking clemency, stressing the unprecedented nature of scheduling both executions on the same day. Prosecutors argue that Duckett kidnapped McAbee from a convenience store, ultimately leading to her death.
“We are disappointed by the Governor’s decision to set a new execution date for our client James Duckett after the State’s own decisions prevented a full and reliable evaluation that could have demonstrated his long-maintained innocence,” Duckett’s lawyers expressed. “It’s particularly shameful that the Governor chose a date just two weeks away and aligned it with the execution of Dominick Occhicone.”
Occhicone’s lengthy time on death row has been attributed to ongoing appeals and changing state laws regarding the death penalty. Now at 80 years old, his execution will make him the second oldest individual executed in modern U.S. history, following Walter Moody Jr., who was executed at 83 in Alabama in 2018.
As of Wednesday, Florida has executed ten individuals in 2026. Duckett’s execution is scheduled for noon ET, while Occhicone’s is set for 6 p.m. ET at Florida State Prison in Raiford.
