STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Frank Athen Walls, a 58-year-old man convicted of murdering a couple during a home invasion robbery, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke. The execution is set to begin at 6 p.m. and marks Florida's 19th execution in 2025, a year that has already set a record for the most executions carried out by the state in a single year.
Walls was originally convicted of two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, burglary, and theft in 1988. However, the Florida Supreme Court reversed this conviction, leading to a new trial in 1992, where he was again sentenced to death. The case has drawn public attention due to the brutal details of the crime and the series of killings Walls later confessed to.
In July 1987, Walls entered the mobile home of Edward Alger, an Eglin Air Force Base airman, and his girlfriend Ann Peterson, located in the Florida Panhandle. After binding the couple, Alger managed to free himself and attacked Walls. In retaliation, Walls inflicted severe injuries on Alger, slashing his throat and then shooting him in the head. He subsequently turned his violence towards Peterson, fatally shooting her as she attempted to resist.
Walls was apprehended the day following the discovery of the victims' bodies. A roommate alerted law enforcement to Walls' unusual behavior, prompting an investigation. During a search of his residence, detectives found several items belonging to the victims. In a later confession, Walls admitted to the murders of Alger and Peterson.
Following his initial conviction, DNA evidence also linked Walls to the rape and murder of Audrey Gygi, which took place in May 1987. To avoid the complexities of another trial, Walls entered a no-contest plea, thereby accepting responsibility for Gygi's murder. Additionally, he confessed to the killings of Tommie Lou Whiddon in March 1985 and Cynthia Sue Condra in September 1986 as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.
In a bid to halt his execution, Walls' attorneys filed appeals claiming that his intellectual disabilities and other medical issues should exempt him from the death penalty. However, the Florida Supreme Court dismissed these appeals last week. As of now, appeals are still ongoing in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thus far in 2025, a total of 46 individuals across the United States have been executed under court orders, with more than a dozen additional executions slated for 2026. Florida has surpassed all other states this year, achieving the highest number of executions, followed by Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas, each with five executions.
Florida uses a specific protocol for executions by lethal injection, which includes a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a drug that induces cardiac arrest, as outlined by the state's Department of Corrections. The state's vigorous application of the death penalty has prompted discussions about its implications and morality, especially considering Florida's history of past executions.
The situation surrounding Frank Athen Walls exemplifies the complexities and controversies associated with the death penalty in Florida, showcasing both the severity of his crimes and the debates surrounding his mental capacity and eligibility for execution.
