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Execution Date Set For Man That Brutally Murdered UWF Student
January 20, 2018
An execution date has been set for a man convicted of the brutal death of a University of West Florida student 25 years ago.
Eric Scott Branch is now set to die on Thursday, February 22 at 6 p.m. according to a death warrant signed Friday by Gov. Rick Scott.
On the evening of January 11, 1993, Branch attacked Susan Morris as she walked to her car in the campus parking lot of the University of West Florida. Branch dragged Morris into a nearby wooded area where he severely beat her in the face and head, strangled her, and sexually battered her. Branch then left Morris’ body in a shallow grave covered with dirt and leaves, and stole her car to flee out of the state.
An Escambia County jury convicted Branch in 1994 of first-degree murder and sexual battery.
Branch was previously convicted for the 1991 sexual battery and beating of a 14-year-old girl in Indiana, and was subsequently convicted in Bay County for another sexual battery that he had committed 10 days prior to killing Susan Morris.
Comments
14 Responses to “Execution Date Set For Man That Brutally Murdered UWF Student”
Appeal denied.. Go exacute him right now. Don’t notify his family or give him a nice last meal. Susan didn’t get a certain time and date or visit her family or a last meal. DO IT NOW !!!!!
I was a UWF student when this happened. The blue light emergency systems were installed on campus and excess shrubs were removed after this murder. Then I was working my part-time job at PJC and saw the people arriving for Susan’s funeral at the Baptist church across 9th Ave from the campus.
Twenty-Five years is far too long for justice. In my opinion, a conviction of the death penalty should mean execution within 5 to 10 years. Also the method of execution should return to the electric chair or gas chamber. Make death-penalty feared again.
I remember this punk. ECSO did a great job. To bad the legislature can’t speed up justice.
25 years is a joke. Murderers should be one year max or Less!!
Why so long??? Total insanity. .
I understand he is I’m sorry to say filing an appeal to the Federal Courts. After all he has done to destroy people and families he may live a little longer. What did the two on the jury hear that made them feel he should not die.
5 years on death row should be the max.
Just watch. He will probably get a stay of execution, and we will have to pay for him again until someone wises up.
Twenty-five years after he was convicted of this heinous crime and others???
There has been no closure for the family or friends of this young woman.
Eric Branch has been allowed to live at the expense of the taxpayers and citizens of Florida eating, sleeping and breathing…in other words kept alive on the people’s dime.
This is not justice for anyone. This is totally reprehensible behavior on behalf of the criminal justice system nationally as well as Florida.
wonder what took so long for this
Death to predators.
To heck with “lethal injection”. Fire up Ol’ Sparky for this one.
And he got to live and have free meals and showers for the next 25 years .
What takes these cases so long?