A Florida man convicted of murdering a college freshman and raping his older sister during a camping trip was executed on Thursday.
Loran Cole, 57, was put to death via lethal injection at Florida State Prison and pronounced dead at 6:15 PM local time (11:15 PM BST). Cole’s execution came after he was sentenced to death for the 1994 killing of 18-year-old John Edwards and received additional life sentences for raping Edwards’ sister.
Earlier in the day, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Cole’s appeal against the death penalty. His defense had argued that his Parkinson’s Disease and mental health issues would make execution inhumane.
However, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody countered that Cole had been aware of his condition for years but only raised it as an issue after his execution was scheduled.
Cole chose not to make a final statement when given the opportunity and responded with “No, sir” when asked if he had any last words. His last meal consisted of pizza and ice cream.
Before the execution, Cole was visited by his son and another individual. Media reports indicated that Cole breathed deeply and trembled until he was declared dead.
Cole’s attorneys had also argued that his past abuse at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys—a notorious Florida reform school known for its severe mistreatment of children—should be considered. Governor Ron DeSantis had earlier signed a bill allocating $20 million for victims of the school.
In 1994, Cole and an accomplice, William Paul, had befriended Edwards and his sister Pam during a camping trip in Ocala National Forest. They lured the students away, robbed, and brutally attacked them. Edwards was beaten, killed, and left in the forest, while his sister was sexually assaulted and left tied to a tree overnight.
Both Cole and Paul were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. The victims’ parents, who did not attend the execution, issued a statement through prison officials, expressing a lack of sympathy for Cole and stating, “He does not deserve mercy.”
