Florida Department of Corrections

Fort Lauderdale police cleared a shopping center parking lot of registered sex offenders and sexual predators under supervision. Although the property owner and police successfully removed the individuals, the underlying issue of providing legal housing for people subject to strict Florida residency restrictions remains unresolved. The conflict between local authorities and the state supervision system highlights that severe distance requirements from places like schools and public pools make finding suitable residences extremely difficult.

The Florida Department of Corrections is offering up to $6,000 in hiring and retention bonuses at select prisons to recruit correctional officers, following Governor Ron DeSantis' veto of legislation that would have provided significant pay increases. The bonuses include a $1,000 hiring incentive and a $5,000 retention bonus, though a $374 million pay raise request was rejected due to concerns over debt-related provisions.

Florida executed Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, and James Aren Duckett, 68, in a single day, marking the first such double execution since 1964. Occhicone became the oldest person executed in Florida’s modern history and the second oldest in U.S. history, while Duckett was executed for the 1987 murder of an 11-year-old girl.

James Aren Duckett was executed in Florida for the 1987 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee, with his execution delayed by a denied stay request from the U.S. Supreme Court. The execution made him the 11th inmate put to death in Florida this year, followed by Dominick Occhicone's scheduled execution later that day, marking the first dual execution in Florida since 1964. Family members expressed satisfaction with the justice served, while Duckett's attorneys unsuccessfully claimed his innocence.

Florida executed James Aren Duckett, an ex-police officer convicted of murdering an 11-year-old girl in 1987, and scheduled another execution for Dominick Anthony Occhicone, an 80-year-old convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986, marking two executions in a single day under Governor Ron DeSantis.

The Supreme Court allowed Florida to proceed with a rare double execution of James Aren Duckett and Dominick Anthony Occhicone Jr., denying their claims that the state's plan for two executions in one day risks botched procedures under the Eighth Amendment. Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis scheduled the executions, which mark the state's 11th and 12th death sentences this year.

Richard Comerford was appointed as secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections by Gov. Ron DeSantis, succeeding Ricky Dixon. Comerford has over 40 years of experience with the department, including roles as a correctional officer and deputy secretary. The department faces budget challenges after DeSantis vetoed legislation funding capital projects and a new corrections hospital.

A hidden camera investigation revealed former inmates required to spend nights at Fort Lauderdale's River Market shopping center under Florida Department of Corrections supervision. Individuals described sleeping in vehicles or sitting overnight without restroom access, shelter, or charging facilities for monitoring devices. Some offenders received paperwork directing them to the shopping center instead of a shelter or residential facility.

Dusty Spencer, 74, was executed in Florida, becoming the oldest man to be executed in the state. The Florida Department of Corrections provided the image.

Florida executed 74-year-old Dusty Ray Spencer for the 1992 murder of his wife, making him the oldest person executed in the state's modern history. He was put to death via a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison, and the execution marked the ninth this year in Florida.

A 74-year-old man, Dusty Ray Spencer, is set to be executed in Florida for the 1992 killing of his wife, making him the oldest person to face the death penalty in the state's modern history. The execution would be Florida's ninth this year, with Governor Ron DeSantis overseeing more executions in 2025 than any other Florida governor since 1976.

A 74-year-old man, Dusty Ray Spencer, is scheduled to be executed in Florida for the 1992 killing of his wife, Karen, making him the oldest person to face the death penalty in modern Florida history. Another 74-year-old inmate, Dennis Sochor, is also set for execution later in July.

A 74-year-old man, Dusty Ray Spencer, is set to be executed in Florida for the 1992 killing of his wife, Karen, making him the oldest person to face the death penalty in modern Florida history. The execution is scheduled for Thursday, and if carried out, it would be Florida's ninth this year under Governor Ron DeSantis; another 74-year-old inmate, Dennis Sochor, is also scheduled for execution in July.

Anthony Gordon, a 50-year-old man from Miami Gardens, faces 16 charges including drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession after police found $1.4 million in cash and $5 million in narcotics at his home. He was arrested following the fatal shooting of an intruder and has a prior criminal record with multiple drug-related convictions in Miami-Dade and Broward.

A 37-year-old fugitive, Nathan Cooper, was arrested in Georgia after 70 days on the run for allegedly shooting Shawn Webster, a Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer employee, over a conflict involving their children. Cooper was extradited to Miami-Dade, where he faces a charge of first-degree attempted murder with a deadly weapon.