Associated Press
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.
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 Florida 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.
2 comments
Making no sense
August 29, 2024 at 8:12 am
2 wrongs don’t make a right
Sent to reform himself school.
ELVIS [FKA EARL]
August 29, 2024 at 8:38 am
Welp, he’s most likely sorry for what he did which made his victem’s Sage Family wait “30 LONG SUFFERING TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE YEARS FOR JUST8CE”.
That being said, he’s had 30 years to get right with Jesus.
So theres really no reason to complain about the upcoming execution….unless, of course, if you are a “Dook 4 Brains Lefty” that whines and complains about everything.
Thank you Sage Citizens of The Great State of Florida,
ELVIS [FKA EARL]