Florida Executes Frank Walls, Marking State’s 19th Execution in 2025
STARK, Fla. — Florida carried out its 19th execution of the year on Thursday, as Frank Athen Walls, 58, was put to death for a double murder committed in 1987. Walls was convicted of killing an airman and his girlfriend during a violent home invasion in the Florida Panhandle, a case that spanned decades of legal appeals and confessions before culminating in Thursday’s lethal injection at Florida State Prison.
Walls was sentenced to death in 1988 after being found guilty of two counts of murder, kidnapping, burglary, and theft. However, the Florida Supreme Court later overturned the conviction, ordering a new trial. Walls was reconvicted and resentenced to death in 1992. The execution came after both state and U.S. Supreme Court rulings cleared the way, closing years of legal challenges.
According to court records, Walls broke into the mobile home of Eglin Air Force Base airman Edward Alger and his girlfriend, Ann Peterson, in July 1987. After tying them up, Alger managed to free himself and confront Walls. In the ensuing struggle, Walls cut Alger’s throat and fatally shot him in the head, then shot Peterson as she struggled. The next day, Walls was arrested after his roommate alerted authorities due to Walls’ suspicious behavior. Investigators recovered items from the crime scene in Walls’ home, and Walls later confessed to the killings as well as three other murders.
At approximately 6 p.m., the curtain to the death chamber was raised, and Walls was strapped to a gurney where he received a three-drug injection. A Catholic priest was present, praying quietly beside him. Before the execution began, Walls issued a brief statement expressing remorse. “If any of the members of the family are here, I am sorry for all of the things I did, the pain I caused and all of that you have suffered all these years,” Walls said, according to Alex Lanfranconi, spokesperson for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Florida’s record of executions in 2025 surpasses all other states, reflecting a significant uptick in capital punishment in recent years. The state’s Department of Corrections oversees the administration of death sentences, and this year’s 19 executions break a 50-year record for the number of death sentences carried out annually in Florida. The execution protocol and legal procedures are detailed on the Florida Department of Corrections website.
The case has drawn attention to the complexities of the death penalty system, including lengthy appeals and the role of confessions in securing convictions. The U.S. Supreme Court’s involvement in upholding the conviction underscores the ongoing judicial scrutiny surrounding capital punishment cases nationwide, as outlined on the Supreme Court’s official site.
Governor DeSantis has been a vocal supporter of the death penalty, emphasizing its use in cases involving heinous crimes. His administration’s approach to criminal justice reform and capital punishment is documented on the Governor’s official website. Meanwhile, the Death Penalty Information Center provides broader context on the national landscape of executions, noting Florida’s prominent role in the resurgence of capital punishment.
As Walls’ execution concludes a decades-long legal saga, it also highlights the enduring debates over the death penalty’s application, fairness, and moral implications. Florida’s continued use of capital punishment remains a focal point for both supporters and critics as the state moves forward into 2026.
Leave a Reply