Florida Man Executed for Killing Man and Girlfriend During Home Invasion, Marking State’s 19th Execution This Year

A Florida man was put to death for killing two people, a man and his girlfriend, during a home invasion.

Frank Athen Walls was executed by three-drug lethal injection on the evening of Thursday, Nov. 18. He was executed at Florida State Prison near Starke, Fla., the Associated Press reports. The death of Walls, 58, marks the 19th execution in Florida this year, the outlet reports.

Walls was convicted of two counts of murder and was sentenced to death in 1988, the AP reports. The Florida Supreme Court went on to reverse the conviction and order a new trial, during which Walls was convicted once again and re-sentenced to death in 1992. Walls was convicted of committing the murders of Edward Alger and his Alger’s girlfriend, Ann Peterson.

The execution began at 6 p.m. local time, and Walls was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m., the outlet reports. A Catholic priest was seated near Walls with his right hand extended toward Walls’ lower leg or foot, per the AP.

Alex Lanfranconi, a spokesman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, told the outlet that Walls made a brief statement before being put to death.

“Good evening, everyone. I appreciate the opportunity to say what’s on my heart. If any of the members of the family are here, I am sorry for all of the things I did, the pain I caused, and all of that you have suffered all these years,” Walls was quoted as saying, per the AP.

Per court records obtained by the AP, Walls broke into the Florida Panhandle mobile home of Alger, who was an Eglin Air Force Base airman, and Peterson, in July 1987. Walls is believed to have then tied the couple up — and after Alger broke loose, Walls slit his throat and shot him in the head. Walls then went to attack Peterson and shot her as she struggled to break free, the outlet reports.

Years later, when new technology was developed, DNA evidence linked Walls to the May 1987 rape and murder of Audrey Gygi. Walls pleaded no contest in an attempt to avoid another trial and potential death sentence. Walls went on to admit responsibility for the killings of Tommie Lou Whiddon in March 1985 and Cynthia Sue Condra in September 1986 as part of a deal with prosecutors, per the AP.

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Walls became the 47th prisoner in the U.S. to be executed this year after receiving a death sentence, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The highest previous annual total of Florida executions was eight in 2014 since the U.S. Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976, per the AP. Florida has executed the most prisoners in the U.S. this year.

Florida executions are done via lethal injection using a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, per the state’s Department of Corrections.