Read on PBS NewsFlorida Executes Man for 1987 Double Murder, Marking Record 19th Execution of the Year
Frank Athen Walls was executed by lethal injection in Florida for the 1987 murders of an airman and his girlfriend during a home invasion. The execution marks the 19th carried out in Florida this year, a record under Governor Ron DeSantis. Walls was convicted twice for the crimes and was linked to several other killings. This article details the case, the execution, and the broader context of capital punishment in Florida and the United States.
On Thursday evening, Florida carried out the execution of Frank Athen Walls, a man convicted of a brutal 1987 double murder, marking a significant milestone in the state's use of capital punishment. The lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke was the 19th execution in Florida this year, setting a modern record for the state under Governor Ron DeSantis. This case underscores the lengthy legal processes involved in death penalty cases and highlights ongoing debates about justice and punishment in the American legal system.
The Crime and Conviction of Frank Athen Walls
Frank Athen Walls, 58, was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m. following a three-drug injection. He was convicted for the July 1987 killings of Edward Alger, an airman at Eglin Air Force Base, and his girlfriend, Ann Peterson, during a home invasion robbery at their mobile home in the Florida Panhandle. According to court records, Walls broke into the home, tied the couple up, and, after Alger broke free and attacked him, cut the airman's throat and shot him in the head. He then attacked and shot Peterson as she struggled.
Legal Proceedings and Additional Crimes
Walls was initially convicted in 1988 on two counts of murder, kidnapping, burglary, and theft, receiving a death sentence. The Florida Supreme Court later reversed this conviction, ordering a new trial. In 1992, he was again convicted and sentenced to death. The case revealed Walls was responsible for other violent crimes. DNA evidence linked him to the May 1987 rape and killing of Audrey Gygi, to which he pleaded no contest. As part of a deal with prosecutors, he also admitted responsibility for the 1985 killing of Tommie Lou Whiddon and the 1986 killing of Cynthia Sue Condra.
The Execution and Final Statements
Before the execution began, Walls offered an apology. “Good evening, everyone. I appreciate the opportunity to say what’s on my heart. 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 a spokesman for Governor DeSantis. No complications were reported during the procedure. Earlier on Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Walls' final request for a stay of execution.
Record Executions in Florida and National Context
Governor Ron DeSantis has overseen more executions in a single year than any Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1976. The previous state record was eight executions in 2014. DeSantis has stated his goal is to bring justice to victims' families who have waited decades for sentences to be carried out. Nationally, including Walls, 47 men have been executed in the U.S. so far this year, with Florida leading all states. Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas have each executed five people in 2025.
Conclusion
The execution of Frank Athen Walls closes a chapter on a series of violent crimes that spanned several years in the 1980s. It also highlights Florida's accelerated use of the death penalty in 2025, reflecting a broader national trend. As the state continues to process its death row cases, the debate over capital punishment—weighing final justice for victims against moral and legal questions—remains a pivotal issue in American society and law.
