Florida set to execute death row inmate Harold Gene Lucas, convicted of killing teen in 1976
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man convicted of killing a 16-year-old girl who rejected his romantic advances and wounding two of her friends was scheduled to be executed Tuesday evening.
Harold Gene Lucas, 74, was set to receive a three-drug lethal injection beginning at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke
The backstory:
Lucas was sentenced to death for the 1976 killing of Jill Piper and the attempted murders of her friends, Richard Byrd Jr. and Terri Rice.
According to court records, Lucas had known Piper for several years and had previously dated her. Prosecutors said Lucas became enraged after Piper rejected his romantic advances. Witnesses testified he threatened to kill the teenager before going to her Bonita Springs home with a rifle.
Authorities said Piper had asked Byrd and Rice to stay overnight because she feared Lucas. Investigators said Lucas shot Piper multiple times as she pleaded for her life, then wounded her two friends before fleeing. He was arrested the following day.
Timeline:
Lucas was originally sentenced to death in 1977. His death sentence was overturned and reimposed four times over the next decade because of legal issues involving the sentencing process, but his conviction for first-degree murder was upheld.
His final death sentence was imposed in 1990, and all subsequent appeals were unsuccessful.
What they're saying:
Lucas declined to pursue any final appeals after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant.
"I've been on death row for 50 years, and I have no desire to carry this any further," Lucas told a judge. "The sooner it's over, the better. I am tired."
Authorities said Lucas had dated Piper and became angry after she rejected him. Prosecutors said he threatened to kill her before going to her Bonita Springs home with a rifle, fatally shooting Piper and wounding her two friends.
Lucas was sentenced to death in 1977. His sentence was overturned and reimposed several times because of sentencing issues, but his murder conviction remained intact. His final death sentence was imposed in 1990, and subsequent appeals were unsuccessful.
What's next:
Lucas was expected to become the 14th person executed in Florida this year. Florida has carried out more than half of the nation's executions in 2026, and DeSantis has already signed death warrants for two more executions later this month.
The Source: This story was written based on reporting by the Associated Press.