The State of Florida executed 80-year-old Dominick Occhicone tonight at Florida State Prison, completing the state’s first same-day double execution in over 60 years. This historic event followed the noon execution of James Duckett earlier on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. The dual executions mark a significant moment in the history of capital punishment in Florida, as no two death sentences have been carried out on the same calendar day since 1964.
Execution of Dominick Occhicone
Occhicone was put to death by lethal injection for the 1986 murder of Martha Artzner in Pasco County. A jury had recommended a death sentence by a non-unanimous vote of 7–5, and he was also sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her husband, Raymond Artzner. The Florida Supreme Court unanimously rejected his final appeals earlier in the week, denying stay requests based on his advanced age, failing physical health, reported shortages of lethal injection drugs, and the non-retroactivity of current jury voting standards.
Following the execution, defense representatives released a statement acknowledging the grief of the Artzner family while highlighting Occhicone’s Catholic faith and reconciliation with his children. The statement noted that under present-day Florida law, which requires at least eight jurors to recommend death, Occhicone would not have qualified for the death sentence. Advocates also pointed to Occhicone's physical decline in prison and criticized the state for placing an emotional burden on execution teams by scheduling two deaths so closely together.
Earlier Execution of James Duckett
Occhicone’s death came just six hours after Florida executed 68-year-old James Aren Duckett. A former Mascotte police officer, Duckett was convicted in the 1987 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee. State Attorney Bill Gladson released a statement declaring that "justice has been administered" for McAbee’s family after nearly four decades. He cited physical evidence, including tire tracks matching Duckett’s patrol car and fingerprints on his vehicle, as well as witness testimony.
Duckett's defense counsel maintained their client's innocence until the end, criticizing state officials for a testing process that consumed a critical biological sample without producing a conclusive DNA profile. The dual executions mark the first time executive clemency has been denied in such rapid succession since 1983, when Blake Emmett and Dawson Sie were executed by electric chair.
