Man Heading to Death Row after DeSantis Signed Death Warrant; Convicted of Kidnapping, Molesting and Killing FSU Student in 1994
Tallahassee, FL- On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for a prisoner found guilty of the 1994 murder of a Florida State University student. The victim had gone camping with his sister in the Ocala National Forest.
Loran Cole, aged 57, is set to be executed on August 29th at Florida State Prison, as per documents released on the Florida Supreme Court website on Monday evening. Cole is set to become the first inmate executed in Florida since October, following the lethal injection of Michael Duane Zack for a 1996 murder in Escambia County.
A man named Cole was given the death penalty for the murder of John Edwards in February 1994. Edwards had gone to the Ocala National Forest to camp with his sister, who was a student at Eckerd College. This information is based on court records from previous Supreme Court appeals.
Cole and another individual named William Paul joined the brother and sister at their campsite. According to records, Cole allegedly knocked Edwards’ sister to the ground and proceeded to handcuff her after they chose to walk to a pond. John Edwards was subdued by the men, and Cole proceeded to search the victims’ pockets and take their belongings.
Paul led his sister on a trail, while John Edwards tragically passed away from severe injuries, as stated in the court records. Edwards’ sister experienced a horrifying incident of sexual assault and was subsequently bound to two trees. Fortunately, she managed to free herself the following morning. (Typically, The News Service of Florida refrains from disclosing the identities of sexual-assault victims.)
According to court records and Florida Department of Corrections records, Cole and Paul were arrested in Ocala.
Cole was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, and sexual battery. Paul, who is now 51 years old, entered a plea of no contest to charges of murder, kidnapping, and robbery. As a result, he received a life sentence in prison. He is currently incarcerated at Cross City Correctional Institution.
The signing of the death warrant on Monday is expected to trigger a series of legal actions. With the execution date just a month away, the Florida Supreme Court has issued an order to expedite the proceedings.
According to data on the Department of Corrections website, Florida has carried out the execution of 105 inmates since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. This includes six executions that took place last year.
Source: ClickOrlando
