In the American state of Florida, a man convicted of the murder of a student and the rape was executed today to the victim's older sister while the two were camping in a national forest 30 years ago, the Associated Press reported, citing BTA.
Laurent Cole, 57, received a lethal injection and was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. at a Florida state prison for killing the 18-year-old student in 1994. Cole was also serving two life sentences for rape.
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Cole and his friend William Paul befriended the two college students in the Ocala National Forest, court documents show. After talking around the fire, the men offered to show the students a lake. While they were away from the campsite, Cole and Paul accosted the victims and robbed them, court records state. The youth, who was a student at Florida State University, was beaten and had his throat cut and left in the woods. His sister, then a 21-year-old student at Eckerd College, was taken back to the campsite, where Cole tied her up and raped her, according to records.
The young woman was left tied to a tree overnight and raped again the next day. Eventually, she managed to free herself and signaled a driver for help. According to court records, police found her brother's body.
Paul and Cole are convicted of first degree murder. Paul was sentenced to life in prison.
The execution is the first in Florida since October last year, AP notes.