James Aren Duckett, a former police officer, was executed in Florida at the age of 68 for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee in 1987. He chose not to make a final statement before his death. Duckett was the 11th inmate to be executed by the state in 2026.
Shortly after Duckett’s execution, 80-year-old Dominick Occhicone was also executed at Florida State Prison. This marked the state’s first same-day double execution in over 60 years. Occhicone was put to death for the 1986 double murder of Raymond and Martha Artzner, the parents of his ex-girlfriend, Anita Gerrety.
The events leading to Occhicone’s execution date back to June 10, 1986, when he shot Raymond Artzner and killed Martha Artzner after a failed attempt to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend. He was convicted and sentenced to death, with his appeals denied by the Florida Supreme Court.
Occhicone’s execution made him the oldest person to be executed in modern Florida history. This double execution day was the first in Florida since 1964. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has increased the pace of executions in the state, emphasizing the importance of delivering justice to families waiting for closure. This surge in executions has contributed to a national uptick in the use of the death penalty.