Dennis Sochor, 74, became the oldest inmate ever executed in Florida on Tuesday, more than four decades after he murdered an 18-year-old woman he met at a New Year's Eve party. He was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m. at Florida State Prison following a three-drug lethal injection.

Sochor was convicted of killing Patricia Gifford on January 1, 1982. According to authorities, his brother informed police of Sochor's responsibility for Gifford's disappearance, and Sochor later confessed on tape to choking her and disposing of her body. Gifford's remains have never been recovered.

During his execution, Sochor offered apologies to the Gifford family and expressed gratitude to his own loved ones. He commended his spirit to Jesus Christ before the lethal drugs were administered. After approximately two minutes without movement, he was officially pronounced dead.

Marilyn Gifford, Patricia's sister, stated that Sochor's execution provided some closure for the family, though she noted the pain of never being able to lay her sister to rest. She remarked that Sochor spent more than twice as many years on death row as her sister had been alive and described him as a "lifelong brutal and sadistic man."

Sochor's execution follows closely on the heels of another execution of a 74-year-old inmate, Dusty Ray Spencer, on June 25. Florida is also scheduled to execute 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone later this month, which would be a first for the state.

These back-to-back executions highlight the advancing age of death row inmates and Florida's particularly active death chamber. This year, Florida has carried out 10 of the 16 executions nationwide, more than all other states combined. The reasons for the state scheduling three executions within a month remain unclear.

In 1986, Sochor was arrested in Georgia on unrelated charges and subsequently extradited to Florida. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder and kidnapping in 1987, leading to his placement on death row. His final appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Court records indicate that Gifford met Sochor and his brother at a bar while celebrating New Year's Eve. After Gifford's friend became ill and fell asleep in their car, Gifford left with Sochor and his brother, intending to get breakfast. Investigators allege that Sochor instead drove to a secluded area and attacked her.