Florida executed a 77-year-old death row inmate on Tuesday, marking the state’s 18th execution of 2026. This execution adds to the unusually large number of elderly prisoners put to death as the state nears its annual execution record.
William Reaves was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. after receiving a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He had been convicted of first-degree murder for the 1986 shooting death of Richard Raczkoski, an Indian River County sheriff’s deputy.
“Would we all be so lucky to be 77 years old and to die so peacefully? That’s not justice in any way, in my opinion,” stated Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers during a press briefing following the execution.
This execution was the 18th under Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration, which has seen an accelerated pace of death warrants. Florida, which held a state-record 19 executions in 2025, could tie this record if another scheduled execution occurs next month.
Reaves was the eighth Florida prisoner aged 70 or older executed this year, highlighting the aging population on death row both in Florida and nationwide. Data from the Death Penalty Information Center indicates Reaves was sentenced to death 34 years before his execution. Several other Florida inmates executed this year also spent nearly three decades or more on death row.
Florida’s rapid execution rate has positioned it as a significant outlier nationally, carrying out 18 of the 32 executions in the United States this year.
Why Florida’s Death Row Inmates Are Getting Older
This issue has gained attention after Florida scheduled executions for multiple inmates in their 70s, and even an 80-year-old. The debate includes discussions on whether elderly and frail inmates should still be executed after decades of appeals. Supporters of capital punishment argue that lengthy appeals are essential for ensuring constitutional protections and preventing wrongful executions, while opponents raise humanitarian concerns and question the punishment’s purpose as inmates reach old age.
Research by the Death Penalty Information Center shows that death row inmates have aged considerably as appeals have extended over time. The median age of executed inmates in the United States has increased steadily in recent decades.
Reaves’ Final Appeals
Reaves’ attorneys challenged Florida’s lethal injection protocol. They argued that jurors who sentenced him to death were unaware the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had determined he was 100 percent disabled due to service-related post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his military service in Vietnam.
More than 100 military veterans also appealed to Governor DeSantis to halt the execution. However, the governor did not intervene, and both the U.S. Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court declined to stop the execution.
Raczkoski responded to a 911 call placed by Reaves at a Vero Beach convenience store on September 23, 1986. Authorities reported that a gun fell from Reaves’ clothing during the encounter, resulting in a struggle. Investigators noted that the deputy tried to flee when Reaves shot him four times. Raczkoski succumbed to his injuries.
Marc Raczkoski, the deputy’s brother, expressed that his brother had finally received justice, while Flowers viewed the execution as closure rather than justice.
Florida is preparing to execute another inmate, Jesse Guardado, on November 5. Should this execution proceed, the state will match the record 19 executions it carried out last year.