Florida executed 77-year-old William Reaves for the 1986 killing of Deputy Richard Raczkoski, marking the state's 18th execution of 2026. Reaves' attorneys cited PTSD and challenged the lethal injection protocol, but appeals were denied.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Florida executed William Reaves, 77, on Tuesday for the 1986 shooting death of Indian River County sheriff's deputy Richard Raczkoski. Reaves was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke following a three-drug lethal injection. The execution marks the 18th carried out by the state in 2026, continuing an accelerated pace under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Reaves was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the September 1986 incident. According to court records, Raczkoski responded to a 911 call made by Reaves from a payphone at a Vero Beach convenience store. During their conversation, a gun fell out of Reaves’ shorts, leading to a struggle. Investigators stated that Reaves regained control of the weapon and shot the deputy four times as Raczkoski attempted to flee. The deputy died later that day.
Reaves was initially sentenced to death about a year after the shooting. However, the Florida Supreme Court overturned the conviction due to a conflict of interest with the prosecutor and ordered a new trial. He was convicted and sentenced to death again in 1992. Subsequent appeals were unsuccessful, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied his final request for a stay of execution without comment on Tuesday.
Reaves’ attorneys challenged Florida’s three-drug lethal injection protocol, which consists of a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart. The Florida Supreme Court has previously upheld this method. The protocol differs from the single-drug injection used in states like Tennessee, where death row inmate Christa Pike survived two doses of pentobarbital last month.
Defense attorneys also argued that jurors who recommended the death penalty were never informed that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had rated Reaves, an Army veteran, as 100% disabled due to post-traumatic stress disorder linked to his service in the Vietnam War. More than 100 military veterans sent a letter to Gov. DeSantis on Monday urging him to halt the execution, citing these factors.
Marc Raczkoski, the deputy’s brother, stated after witnessing the execution that his brother finally received justice. In contrast, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers described the event as closure rather than justice. "Would we all be so lucky to be 77 years old and to die so peacefully," Flowers said at a press conference. "That’s not justice in any way, in my opinion."
Reaves was the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 executed this year. Florida has carried out more than half of the 32 total executions in the United States so far in 2026. The state set a record last year with 19 executions, accounting for approximately 40% of the U.S. total of 47 executions in 2025. Florida would tie last year's record if Jesse Guardado, 64, is executed as scheduled on Nov. 5.
The execution highlights the ongoing national debate over the death penalty, particularly regarding aging inmates and the consideration of mental health conditions like PTSD in capital cases. It also underscores Florida's position as the leading state in executions, with Gov. DeSantis prioritizing the carrying out of long-delayed death sentences for victims' families.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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