Florida executes man who spent nearly 50 years on death row
5 sources covered this · see comparison →James Hitchcock, 70, was executed by lethal injection in Florida on April 30, 2026, after spending nearly 50 years on death row for the 1976 murder of his 13-year-old step-niece, Cynthia Driggers. He maintained his innocence until his death, which took place at the Florida State Prison in Raiford. The execution was one of ten carried out in the United States in 2026, with Florida leading the nation in executions in the previous year.
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Florida executes man who spent nearly 50 years on death rowSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxJames Hitchcock, 70, was convicted of the 1976 murder of Cynthia Driggers, his step-niece, and sentenced to death in 1977.PHOTO: AFPPublished May 01, 2026, 09:25 AMUpdated May 01, 2026, 09:25 AMMIAMI – A Florida man who has spent nearly half a century on death row was executed by lethal injection on April 30 for the murder of a 13-year-old girl.James Hitchcock, 70, was convicted of the 1976 murder of Cynthia Driggers, his step-niece, and sentenced to death in 1977.Hitchcock, who maintains his innocence, was executed at 6.12pm local time at the Florida state prison in Raiford, the state’s Department of Corrections said on its website.His nearly 50 years on death row made him…
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