Florida is preparing to execute a man for the brutal 1994 murder of a college student, ending nearly 30 years of legal wrangling.
At a Glance
- Loran Cole is scheduled for execution for the 1994 murder and sexual assault of two college students.
- The execution will take place just after 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison.
- The U.S. Supreme Court denied Cole’s final appeal.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant last month.
The Long Road to Execution
Florida’s justice system is set to finally execute Loran Cole for the 1994 murder of 18-year-old John Edwards, a freshman at Florida State University. Edwards was brutally beaten, had his throat slit, and left in the Ocala National Forest. The crime also saw the sexual assault of Edwards’ 21-year-old sister, a senior at Eckerd College, by Cole.
The execution, scheduled for just after 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison, concludes an extensive legal battle that has consumed nearly three decades and reignited intense discussions surrounding the death penalty.
According to court records, Cole and his accomplice, William Paul, befriended the siblings while they were camping. The men offered to lead them to a nearby pond, only to rob and assault them. Cole tied up Edwards’ sister, assaulted her twice, and left her bound to a tree for over 24 hours. She eventually freed herself and flagged down a driver for help. Police later discovered her brother’s body lying face down in the forest.
Legal Journey and Final Appeals
Cole, who also serves two life sentences for sexual assault, has consistently maintained his innocence, implicating Paul instead. After numerous appeals, Cole’s final plea for clemency was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week. His defense argued that Cole suffers from brain damage, mental illness, and Parkinson’s disease—all factors they believed should have merited leniency.
In a statement, Chris Spires, an FSU and Phi Gamma Delta alum, said, “Everybody just lost it. We missed his wedding, he missed out on our weddings, watching his kids grow up, his career progress. I bet you right now he’d be coaching his kids in baseball.”
Impact on Families and Community
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Cole, underscoring the state’s commitment to pursuing justice. This execution will be the first in Florida since Michael Zack’s execution last October for a 1996 murder. The looming execution has dredged up painful memories for Edwards’ friends and family, who have lived in its shadow for nearly 30 years.
While the Edwards family declined interviews, they had previously emphasized that the death penalty was about fairness and preventing further harm. Friends and family members voiced mixed feelings, with some seeing closure in the execution, while others questioned the infallibility of the justice system.
Sources
- Florida executes man convicted of killing college student, raping victim’s sister in national forest
- ‘He wasn’t forgotten’: Friends of John Edwards reflect on Loran Cole’s impending execution
- Florida to execute man convicted of 1994 killing of college student
- Florida executes man convicted of killing college student, raping victim’s sister in national forest
- Florida set to execute Loran Cole in FSU student’s murder, sister’s rape: What to know
- Florida to execute man convicted of 1994 killing of college student in national forest
- Florida executes man convicted of killing college student, raping victim’s sister in national forest
- History of the Death Penalty
- The Case Against the Death Penalty (ACLU)