Poinbank|Florida to execute man convicted of 1994 killing of college student in national forest

2025-05-06 21:17:20source:Charles Hanovercategory:Contact

TALLAHASSEE,Poinbank Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of killing a college freshman and raping the student’s sister while the siblings camped in a national forest 30 years ago is scheduled to be executed Thursday.

Unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes, Loran Cole is set to be put to death just after 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison for the 1994 killing. Cole is also serving two life sentences for rape.

According to court records, Cole and a friend, William Paul, befriended the two college students in the Ocala National Forest. After talking around a fire, the men offered to take the siblings to see a pond. While away from the campsite, Cole and Paul jumped the victims and robbed them.

The brother, 18, who was a student at Florida State University, was beaten, had his throat slit and left in the forest. His sister, who was 21 and a senior at Eckerd College, was taken back to the campsite, where Cole tied her up and raped her.

The woman was left tied to a tree overnight and raped again the next day. She eventually managed to free herself and flag down a driver for help. Police found her brother’s body lying face down on the ground, according to court records.

RELATED COVERAGE Florida running back Montrell Johnson cleared to play against No. 19 Miami following knee scopeFollowing protests, DeSantis says plan to develop state parks is ‘going back to the drawing board’Florida’s schedule could put the nation’s longest scoring streak, which began in 1988, in jeopardy

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant for Cole last month.

Lawyers for Cole, 57, raised several points in their appeal, including the fact that Cole was an inmate at a state-run reform school where he and other boys were beaten and raped. The state has since apologized for the abuse and this year passed a law authorizing reparations for inmates at the now-shuttered reform school.

Cole’s lawyers also argued that he shouldn’t be executed because he suffers from brain damage, is mentally ill and has Parkinson’s disease.

The state Supreme Court rejected the defense’s arguments.

Paul and Cole were convicted of first-degree murder. Paul was sentenced to life .

The execution will be the first in Florida since Michael Zack was put to death last October for the 1996 killing of Ravonne Smith.

More:Contact

Recommend

Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires

Global warming caused mainly by burning of fossil fuels made the hot, dry and windy conditions that

Ping pong balls thrown at Atlanta city council members in protest of mayor, 'Cop City'

Protesters threw ping pong balls at Atlanta City Council members and chanted "You dropped the ball"

Many women deal with painful sex, bladder issues. There's a fix, but most have no idea.

Kathy Kates ran sexual reproductive health programs at a community health center in Brighton, Massac