Florida Executes 77-Year-Old Deputy Killer, Its 18th Execution This Year
Florida executed 77-year-old William Reaves on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, carrying out the state's 18th execution of the year.[1]
The lethal injection began immediately after 6:00 p.m. Central.[2] Reaves took several big breaths about 30 seconds later and then ceased movement; a medic checked him and he was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central.[2]
Deputy Richard Raczkoski had responded to a 911 call Reaves placed at a Vero Beach convenience store in September 1986.[2] A gun fell from Reaves' shorts, the two struggled, Reaves regained control of the weapon and shot Raczkoski four times as the deputy tried to run away.[2] Reaves' initial conviction and death sentence were overturned by the Florida Supreme Court because of a prosecutor conflict of interest; he was retried, reconvicted and again sentenced to death in 1992.[2] His final appeals were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court last week and petitions remained pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time of the execution.[2] More than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a letter on Monday, October 19, 2026, urging clemency because Reaves has a 100% U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating for Vietnam War post-traumatic stress disorder, his lawyers said jurors were never told of that rating.[2]
Florida carries out executions using a three-drug lethal-injection protocol that combines a sedative, a paralytic and a heart-stopping drug.[2] The state has carried out more than half of the 31 U.S. executions so far in 2026.[2] If Florida completes the scheduled Nov. 5 execution of Jesse Guardado, the state would tie last year's record of 19 executions.[2] By contrast, Tennessee uses a single-drug pentobarbital protocol in which an inmate recently survived two doses.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- Execution began immediately after 6:00 p.m. Central on Tuesday, October 20, 2026; William Reaves took several big breaths about 30 seconds later, ceased movement, was checked by a medic and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central (William Reaves).
- The victim, Deputy Richard Raczkoski, had responded to a 911 call placed by Reaves at a Vero Beach convenience store in September 1986; a gun fell from Reaves' shorts, the two struggled, Reaves regained control of the weapon and shot Raczkoski four times as the deputy tried to run away (Deputy Richard Raczkoski).
- Reaves' initial conviction and death sentence were reversed by the Florida Supreme Court because of a prosecutor conflict of interest, and he was retried, reconvicted and again sentenced to death in 1992 (Florida Supreme Court).
- Reaves' final appeals were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court last week and petitions were still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time of the execution (U.S. Supreme Court).
- More than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a letter on Monday, October 19, 2026 urging clemency based on Reaves' 100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD; his attorneys said jurors were never told of that VA disability rating (100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD).
- Florida carries out executions using a three-drug protocol (a sedative, a paralytic and a heart-stopping drug), a contrast noted with Tennessee's single-drug pentobarbital protocol in which an inmate, Christa Pike, recently survived two doses (three-drug protocol).
- Florida has carried out more than half of the 31 U.S. executions so far in 2026, and the scheduled execution of Jesse Guardado on November 5, 2026 would, if completed, tie last year's state record of 19 executions (Florida).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article provides a blow-by-blow account of the execution sequence: injection began immediately after 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with Reaves taking several big breaths about 30 seconds later, ceasing movement, then being checked by a medic and pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Central.
- Details that Deputy Richard Raczkoski responded to a 911 call placed by Reaves at a Vero Beach convenience store in September 1986, that a gun fell from Reaves' shorts, the two struggled, Reaves regained control of the weapon, and then shot Raczkowski four times as the deputy tried to run away.
- Clarifies that Reaves' initial conviction and death sentence were reversed by the Florida Supreme Court due to a prosecutor conflict of interest, and that he was retried, reconvicted, and again sentenced to death in 1992.
- Reiterates that Florida uses a three-drug protocol consisting of a sedative, a paralytic, and a heart-stopping drug, and contrasts this with Tennessee's single-drug pentobarbital protocol in which inmate Christa Pike recently survived two doses.
- Adds that more than 100 military veterans sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a letter on Monday, October 19, 2026, urging clemency based on Reaves' 100% VA-rated Vietnam War PTSD, and that his attorneys argued jurors were never told of this VA disability rating.
- Notes that Reaves' final appeals were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court last week and that petitions remained pending before the U.S. Supreme Court at the time of execution.
- Quantifies Florida's execution pace relative to the nation, stating that Florida has carried out more than half of the 31 U.S. executions so far in 2026 and that another execution, of Jesse Guardado on November 5, 2026, would tie last year's state record of 19 executions if completed.