Florida to execute man convicted of 1994 killing of college student in national forest

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of killing a college freshman and raping the student's sister while the siblings camped in a national forest 30 years ago is scheduled to be executed Thursday.

Loran Cole is set to be put to death just after 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison for the 1994 killing. Cole is also serving two life sentences for rape.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied Cole's final appeal earlier Thursday.

According to court records, Cole and a friend, William Paul, befriended the two college students in the Ocala National Forest. After talking around a fire, the men offered to take the siblings to see a pond. While away from the campsite, Cole and Paul jumped the victims and robbed them.

The brother, 18, who was a student at Florida State University, was beaten, had his throat slit and left in the forest. His sister, who was 21 and a senior at Eckerd College, was taken back to the campsite, where Cole tied her up and raped her.

The woman was left tied to a tree overnight and raped again the next day. She eventually managed to free herself and flag down a driver for help. Police found her brother’s body lying face down on the ground, according to court records.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Cole last month.

Lawyers for Cole, 57, raised several points in their appeal, including the fact that Cole was an inmate at a state-run reform school (Dozier School) where he and other boys were beaten and raped. The state has since apologized for the abuse and this year passed a law authorizing reparations for inmates at the now-shuttered reform school.

Cole's lawyers also argued that he shouldn't be executed because he suffers from brain damage, is mentally ill and has Parkinson's disease.

The state Supreme Court rejected the defense's arguments.

Paul and Cole were convicted of first-degree murder. Paul was sentenced to life .

The execution will be the first in Florida since Michael Zack was put to death last October for the 1996 killing of Ravonne Smith.

Source: The Associated Press, Brendan Farrington, August 29, 2024

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