What You Need to Know
• Florida executed Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, marking the state’s first double execution in nearly a decade.
• Earlier on the same day, James Aren Duckett, 68, a former police officer, was executed for murder.
• Florida has conducted nearly half of the nation’s executions in 2025, reversing a two-decade decline in capital punishment.
On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw the execution of Dominick Anthony Occhicone, who was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Occhicone, the second-oldest inmate to receive a lethal injection in modern U.S. history, was executed just hours after James Aren Duckett, a former police officer convicted of killing a young girl. DeSantis, who has made Florida’s death chamber the busiest in the nation, scheduled both executions on the same day to address what he described as prolonged waits for justice. Since the beginning of 2025, Florida has accounted for nearly half of all state executions in the country, a notable increase in capital punishment activity after years of decline.
Why It Matters
This event highlights a significant shift in Florida’s approach to capital punishment under Governor Ron DeSantis, who has prioritized expedited executions. The state’s recent surge in executions contrasts with a national trend of declining use of the death penalty over the past two decades. Dominick Anthony Occhicone’s execution is particularly notable as he is the oldest inmate executed in Florida’s history since modern record-keeping began. This increase in executions raises questions about the future of capital punishment in Florida and its implications for justice and public policy.
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