A 74-year-old man was executed in Florida on Tuesday, becoming the oldest inmate put to death in the state's modern history. Dennis Sochor was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m. following a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke.
Sochor was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping after 18-year-old Patricia Gifford was killed on Jan. 1, 1982. Investigators said Gifford refused Sochor's sexual advances, after which he attacked her. Her body was never recovered.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Sochor's request for a stay of execution and rejected his petition for review on Tuesday, allowing the execution to proceed.
Sochor apologized to the Gifford family for his crime, stating he was "deeply sorry." He also expressed gratitude to his loved ones and his spiritual advisor. He declined a last meal and met with one visitor before his execution.
Sochor was arrested in 1986 on unrelated charges. While in custody, he confessed to Gifford's murder. His brother had previously informed authorities of Sochor's responsibility in Gifford's disappearance. A jury convicted Sochor in 1987 and sentenced him to death.
Sochor's execution was the 10th in Florida this year. The state executed more individuals last year than any other state in the U.S.