Dennis Sochor, 74, died Tuesday evening by lethal injection, becoming the oldest inmate executed in Florida's modern history. He was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke after a three-drug protocol was administered.

Sochor was convicted of the first-degree murder and kidnapping of 18-year-old Patricia Gifford on January 1, 1982. He had met Gifford at a New Year's Eve party hours before her death. According to court records, Gifford left the party with Sochor and his brother to get breakfast, but investigators stated Sochor stopped his truck in a secluded area and attacked her.

His brother later told law enforcement that Sochor was responsible for Gifford's disappearance. Sochor himself confessed on tape to choking Gifford and disposing of her body. He was arrested in Georgia in 1986 on unrelated charges and extradited to Florida, where he was convicted in 1987 and sentenced to death.

Following the execution, Patricia Gifford's sister, Marilyn Gifford, described Sochor as a "lifelong brutal and sadistic man." She noted that Sochor had 45 years to reveal the location of her sister's remains but chose not to, preventing the family from holding a proper burial and finding closure. "Without closure, every happy memory of Patty is immediately crushed by the tragedy of her murder," Marilyn Gifford stated.

While strapped to the gurney, Sochor offered final words, expressing he was "deeply sorry" and thanking his supporters. He then commended his spirit to Jesus Christ before the execution began at 6:03 p.m. Witnesses reported he breathed heavily for about a minute before sputtering and becoming still. A medic pronounced him dead shortly after.

Sochor's execution places him as the oldest inmate put to death in Florida's modern history. This follows the execution of 74-year-old Dusty Ray Spencer in June, who was only a week younger than Sochor at the time of his death. Florida is also scheduled to execute 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone later this month, which would make him the state's first octogenarian executed by lethal injection and the second oldest prisoner executed in the U.S. in modern history.

Florida has carried out 10 of the 16 executions conducted in the U.S. thus far in 2026, surpassing all other states combined.