Florida Executes 77-Year-Old Deputy Killer, Its 18th Execution This Year
Florida executed William Reaves by lethal injection immediately after 6:00 p.m. Central on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.[1] He took several big breaths about 30 seconds after the injection, then stopped moving, was checked by a medic and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central.[1]
Reaves was convicted of killing Vero Beach Deputy Richard Raczkoski after a September 1986 struggle over a gun at a convenience store.[1] A 911 call placed by Reaves led to the encounter, a gun fell from his shorts, the two fought and Reaves shot Raczkoski four times as the deputy ran away.[1] He was 77 at his execution and was the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 put to death in 2026.[2] More than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a clemency letter citing Reaves' reported 100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD, and his attorneys said jurors were never told of that rating.[1] Florida's Supreme Court rejected his last state appeals last week, and petitions remained pending before the U.S. Supreme Court when he was put to death.[1]
The Florida Supreme Court overturned Reaves' initial conviction and death sentence because of a prosecutor conflict of interest; he was retried, reconvicted and resentenced to death in 1992.[1] Florida has carried out 18 executions so far in 2026, more than half of the nation's 31 executions this year.[2] Another execution scheduled for Nov. 5 would tie last year's state record of 19 if completed.[2] The state uses a three-drug protocol — a sedative, a paralytic and a heart-stopping drug — a method contrasted with Tennessee's single-drug pentobarbital approach that recently left an inmate alive after two doses.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- The lethal injection of William Reaves began immediately after 6:00 p.m. Central on Tuesday, October 20, 2026; Reaves took several big breaths about 30 seconds later, ceased movement, was checked by a medic and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central (William Reaves).
- Reaves shot and killed Deputy Richard Raczkoski in September 1986 at a Vero Beach convenience store after placing a 911 call, when a gun fell from Reaves’ shorts, the two struggled, Reaves regained the weapon and shot Raczkoski four times as the deputy tried to run away (Deputy Richard Raczkoski).
- Reaves’ initial conviction and death sentence were reversed by the Florida Supreme Court because of a prosecutor conflict of interest; he was retried, reconvicted and again sentenced to death in 1992 (Florida Supreme Court).
- More than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a clemency letter on Monday, October 19, 2026, urging mercy for Reaves on the basis of his reported 100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD, and his attorneys said jurors were never told of that VA disability rating (100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD).
- Reaves’ final state appeals were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court the week before the execution, and petitions remained pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time he was put to death (U.S. Supreme Court).
- Florida has carried out 18 executions in 2026 so far — more than half of the 31 U.S. executions this year — and another scheduled execution, of Jesse Guardado on November 5, 2026, would tie last year’s state record of 19 if completed (Florida).
- The state uses a three-drug protocol (a sedative, a paralytic and a heart-stopping drug) for executions, which the report contrasts with Tennessee’s single-drug pentobarbital protocol that recently saw inmate Christa Pike survive two doses (three-drug protocol).
- Reaves was the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 executed in 2026, underscoring the aging population on death row (eighth Florida prisoner over age 70).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
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- Article provides a blow-by-blow account of the execution sequence: injection began immediately after 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with Reaves taking several big breaths about 30 seconds later, ceasing movement, then being checked by a medic and pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central.
- Details that Deputy Richard Raczkoski responded to a 911 call placed by Reaves at a Vero Beach convenience store in September 1986, that a gun fell from Reaves' shorts, the two struggled, Reaves regained control of the weapon, and then shot Raczkowski four times as the deputy tried to run away.
- Clarifies that Reaves' initial conviction and death sentence were reversed by the Florida Supreme Court due to a prosecutor conflict of interest, and that he was retried, reconvicted, and again sentenced to death in 1992.
- Reiterates that Florida uses a three-drug protocol consisting of a sedative, a paralytic, and a heart-stopping drug, and contrasts this with Tennessee's single-drug pentobarbital protocol in which inmate Christa Pike recently survived two doses.
- Adds that more than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a letter on Monday, October 19, 2026, urging clemency based on Reaves' 100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD, and that his attorneys argued jurors were never told of this VA disability rating.
- Notes that Reaves' final appeals were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court last week and that petitions remained pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time of execution.
- Quantifies Florida's execution pace relative to the nation, stating that Florida has carried out more than half of the 31 U.S. executions so far in 2026 and that another execution, of Jesse Guardado on November 5, 2026, would tie last year's state record of 19 executions if completed.
- Article specifies that the lethal injection for William Reaves began immediately after 6:00 p.m. Central on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and that he was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central after several deep breaths and no response to checks.
- It notes that Reaves is the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 executed this year, underscoring the aging death-row population.
- The piece highlights that Gov. Ron DeSantis leaves office in January and frames the 18 executions in 2026, after a record 19 in 2025, as part of his aggressive use of the death penalty.
- The article reiterates that Reaves' final appeals were still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time of execution and that the Florida Supreme Court had rejected his last state appeals the prior week.
- It compares Florida's three-drug protocol with Tennessee's single-drug pentobarbital protocol, pointing out that Tennessee inmate Christa Pike recently survived two pentobarbital doses.