RAIFORD, FLORID — Florida carried out a rare double execution, putting two death-row prisoners to death by lethal injection on the same day for two separate murder cases.
James Aren Duckett, 68, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone Jr., 80, were executed at Florida State Prison near Starke, nearly five hours apart.
It marked Florida’s first double execution since May 12, 1964, more than six decades earlier.
The two cases involved different victims, different circumstances and crimes committed nearly a year apart.
One involved the killing of an 11-year-old girl by a police officer who had encountered her while on duty.
The other involved the fatal shootings of a former girlfriend’s parents after an armed confrontation at their home.
James Aren Duckett — The Killing of 11-Year-Old Teresa McAbee
Duckett was a police officer with the Mascotte Police Department in central Florida when 11-year-old Teresa McAbee was killed on May 11, 1987.
According to the Florida Supreme Court’s account of the case, Duckett was the only Mascotte officer on patrol that night.
Between approximately 10 and 11 p.m., Duckett encountered Teresa outside a convenience store.
She was with a 16-year-old boy.
Duckett asked the store clerk about the girl’s identity and age before approaching her.
Teresa ultimately entered Duckett’s patrol car.
It was the last place she was seen alive.
Her mother reported her missing later that night.
The following morning, Teresa’s body was discovered in a lake less than a mile from the convenience store.
The medical examiner determined that she had been sexually assaulted, strangled and drowned.
Investigators developed several pieces of circumstantial evidence connecting Duckett to Teresa’s death.
Among the evidence described by the Florida Supreme Court were tire tracks found at the crime scene that matched the tires on Duckett’s patrol car.
Investigators also found fingerprints belonging to both Teresa and Duckett on the hood of his patrol vehicle.
Duckett had denied seeing Teresa sitting on the hood of the car.
Court records also describe biological evidence that was examined during the case and later became significant during Duckett’s post-conviction challenges.
Duckett was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery.
His jury recommended the death penalty by an 8–4 vote, and the trial court ultimately sentenced him to death.
The Florida Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentence in 1990.
Duckett continued to challenge his conviction for decades.
In 2026, after Florida issued a death warrant, Duckett sought additional DNA testing.
The Florida Supreme Court temporarily stayed his execution to allow the testing to be completed.
The resulting DNA testing was reported as inconclusive.
Duckett’s attorneys continued to challenge his conviction and sentence, including claims of actual innocence, but the Florida Supreme Court rejected his latest post-conviction claims and lifted the stay.
His final appeals reached the U.S. Supreme Court on the day of his scheduled execution, but the requests were denied.
Duckett was executed at approximately 1:19 p.m.
When asked whether he had any final words, Duckett responded, “No, sir.”
He was then put to death by lethal injection.
Teresa’s mother, Dorothy Tula, was among the witnesses who attended the execution, along with members of Teresa’s family.
Several hours later, Florida carried out its second execution of the day.
Dominick Anthony Occhicone Jr. — The Artzner Family Murders
Dominick Anthony Occhicone Jr., 80, had been sentenced to death for the 1986 killings of Raymond and Martha Artzner, the parents of his former girlfriend.
The murders occurred during the early morning hours of June 10, 1986, at the Artzners’ home in Holiday, Florida.
According to court records, Occhicone went to the residence because his former girlfriend was living there with her child.
He knocked on her bedroom’s sliding glass door and attempted to speak with her.
She refused and threatened to call police.
Occhicone initially left.
But he returned approximately an hour later armed with a handgun.
After returning, Occhicone cut the telephone lines to the house, preventing the occupants from using the home’s telephone to call for help.
Raymond Artzner confronted him outside.
Occhicone shot Raymond, killing him.
While Occhicone was attempting to enter the house, his former girlfriend and her child were able to escape.
Occhicone then forced his way through a locked door and entered the home.
Inside, he shot Martha Artzner four times, killing her.
Occhicone was subsequently arrested and charged with the murders.
He was convicted of two counts
of first-degree murder.
Occhicone’s conviction and death sentence survived numerous state and federal appeals over the following decades.
In 2026, Occhicone challenged his scheduled execution on several grounds, including arguments concerning his advanced age and Florida’s execution procedures.
The Florida Supreme Court rejected his latest challenges and denied a stay.
His case also reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to stop the execution.
Occhicone was executed at approximately 6:13 p.m., nearly five hours after Duckett.
Before the lethal injection began, Occhicone spoke about his Christian faith and apologized to the victims’ family and his own family for the pain caused by his actions.
At 80 years old, Occhicone became the oldest person executed in Florida’s modern death-penalty era.
