Florida Man Executed 50 Years After Killing Girl
September 2, 2026
Harold Gene Lucas was put to death by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison, 50 years after killing 16-year-old Jill Piper at her home in Bonita Springs.
Lucas, 74, waived his remaining appeals and elected not to contest his execution. He was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m. by the state Department of Corrections.
According to court records, Lucas went to the home of 16-year-old Jill Piper on Aug. 13, 1976, after an altercation at a gas station with Piper and some friends. A week earlier Lucas had been arrested for criminal trespassing at Piper’s residence.
Armed with a rifle, Lucas, 24 at the time, shot at Piper and two friends while they were in the yard. Piper was hit and her friends ran inside. Piper was shot several more times as she begged for her life, including a fatal shot to the head. Lucas was able to get into the house and shot Piper’s friends. Both survived.
Lucas was arrested the next day. He testified he remembered getting high on the night of the murders, lost consciousness and woke up in the woods.
He was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in 1977, with a jury unanimously recommending a sentence of death.
The sentence has been revisited four times, including after an 11-1 jury recommendation in 1987 for the death penalty, but it was never altered.
Lucas is the 14th inmate put to death by the state this year. Gov. Ron DeSantis has also signed warrants for Daniel O. Conahan Jr. to be executed on Sept. 10 and for Curtis W. Beasley to be put to death on Sept. 29.
Conahan, 72, awaits execution for the 1996 murder of 21-year-old Richard Allen Montgomery in Charlotte County.
Beasley, 74, is sentenced to die for the 1995 murder of 62-year-old Carolyn Monfort of Dundee.
The group Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, which held vigils outside the prison and Governor’s Mansion on Tuesday, described Lucas’ execution as part of an “unprecedented execution spree.”
“The people sent to Florida’s execution chamber are not people who had every advantage and chose violence anyway,” said Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty spokeswoman Bridget Maloney. “Again and again, they are people whose lives were shaped by poverty, abuse, addiction, mental illness, and profound neglect. Poverty and trauma do not excuse violence. But a system that ignores both — and then claims death is a carefully reserved punishment — is not telling the truth about how the death penalty works.”
DeSantis has defended his approach to the death penalty as carrying out the sentence of juries and courts, as well as helping victims’ families see justice done.
In 2025, when the state set a modern-era record of 19 executions in a single calendar year, the 14th inmate put to death by the state — 72-year-old Samuel Smithers — occurred on Oct. 14.
Smithers, whose attorneys unsuccessfully argued that executing the senior citizen would violate the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment, was executed for the 1996 murders of two women in Hillsborough County.
The average age of inmates put to death this year is nearly 64 years. Dominick Anthony Occhicone, who was put to death July 28 for killing his former girlfriend’s parents in Pasco County in 1986, was 80.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Cat Country 98.7 Earns Two CMA Award Nominations
September 2, 2026
Pensacola’s locally owned and operated WYCT – Cat Country 98.7 and The Cat Pak Morning Show have both been nominated for prestigious Country Music Association (CMA) Awards.
Both the station and morning show were named as one of just five nationwide finalists in their respective categories: 2026 CMA Radio Station of the Year and Broadcast Personality of the Year. The dual recognition honors the station and morning crew for their programming, listener connection, and community service across Pensacola and Northwest Florida.
WYCT previously won CMA Radio Station of the Year honors in 2017, 2019, and 2024. The Cat Pak Morning Show previously took home Broadcast Personality of the Year honors in 2022.
“It’s an honor to be nominated by the Country Music Association for these awards. I could not be more proud of our Cat Country team!” said Mary Hoxeng, owner and general manager of WYCT.
“To have both Cat Country 98.7 and The Cat Pak Morning Show recognized by the CMA is incredibly special,” added Brent Lane, Cat Pak host and WYCT program director. “These nominations belong to our team, our community partners, and our listener family.”
The winners of the 60th Annual CMA Awards will be honored during the November 19 ABC telecast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Pictured: Previous CMA Station of the Year awards from 2017, 2019, and 202 in the Cat Country trophy case. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Drop One-Run Duel to Zebrowski, Clingstones
September 2, 2026
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos experienced a rare one-run loss on Tuesday evening, falling 3-2 to the Columbus Clingstones in the opener of their final road series of the regular season.
Despite the loss, the Blue Wahoos still hold a 6.5-game lead over the Clingstones and a magic number of 5 in the second half race with 11 games to play in the regular season.
Ethan O’Donnell opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning against Clingstones starter Cam Caminiti (W, 1-0), but that would be the only damage done against the top pitching prospect in the Braves organization. The 20-year-old earned his first Double-A win with 6.0 innings of four-hit, one-run ball while striking out eight.
The Clingstones evened the score 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth against Blue Wahoos starter Jacob Miller, putting two men aboard before an Owen Carey RBI single. Carey was thrown out trying to stretch his single into a double, one of three outs made on the basepaths by the Clingstones on the night.
Gabe Bierman (L, 6-3) worked 3.0 innings of long relief, but was twice victimized by Columbus catcher Adam Zebrowski. The right-handed slugger hit a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth, and followed up with another shot in the seventh for a 3-1 Clingstones lead.
The Blue Wahoos threatened in the eighth inning against Blane Abeyta, as Dylan Jasso drew a one-out walk and Adrian Santana followed with an RBI double. A wild pitch advanced Santana to third base as the tying run, but Aiva Arquette struck out and Juan Matheus hit a deep flyout to center field to end Pensacola’s last threat. Duncan Davitt (S, 2) struck out the side in the ninth to seal a 3-2 final.
The defeat marked Pensacola’s first time losing back-to-back games since dropping three straight August 2-5, and their first loss in a one-run game since July 29. Brandon Compton’s 22-game on-base streak ended with an 0-for-4 night at the plate.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Clingstones on Wednesday.
written by Erik Bremer
Cantonment Shed Shooting Suspect Arrested On Attempted Homicide Charge
September 1, 2026
A homeless woman wanted in connection with an August shooting from inside a Cantonment shed is now behind bars.
Lisa Ann Elliott, 36, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of attempted second-degree murder and shooting into a building. She was being held with no bond.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report and a previous report published on NorthEscambia com, deputies responded to a shots-fired disturbance on Woodbury Place on the night of August 16.
A man reported that he had allowed Elliott to stay in a live-in shed in his yard at a residence on Woodbury Circle for several days. When the man returned to the property shortly before 9 p.m. and knocked on the shed door to announce himself, he told deputies he saw the silver tip of a handgun, saw a flash of fire, and heard a gunshot.
The man ran from the yard to a home on Woodbury Place to seek shelter. Deputies noted he had singed holes in his shirt and a small laceration near his collarbone. Escambia County EMS evaluated him at the scene, but he refused transport to a hospital.
Witnesses told deputies that Elliott approached nearby homes immediately following the gunfire, asking a neighbor if she could borrow a gun because “there was gonna be some trouble tonight”. When the neighbor refused, Elliott asked to use a phone and made a call while hiding behind a vehicle. As emergency sirens approached, Elliott fled on foot. A phone she had borrowed was later recovered behind a neighboring home with a smashed screen and the battery removed.
Deputies searching the shed found a bullet hole in the door and recovered a loaded JC Higgins .22-caliber chrome revolver sitting near travel bags. A records check revealed the firearm had been reported stolen in 2008.
A short time later, deputies received information that Elliott was seen near the Valero gas station on Highway 29. A witness in the parking lot of the neighboring Black Diamond Nightclub on Highway 29 reported seeing a woman matching her description run toward the railroad tracks behind the gas station.
ECSO K-9 units and drones established perimeters at both scenes that night, but Elliott initially eluded capture. She was located and taken into custody on an outstanding warrant on August 29 on Junction Drive.
DeSantis Administration Shutters Flock Cameras on State Roads Across Florida
September 1, 2026
Amid a growing backlash to license plate reader (LPR) cameras and citing concerns over privacy, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration on Monday moved to shut down the newly ubiquitous technology on state roads.
The cameras, made by Flock Safety and other companies, use artificial intelligence to track suspects and flag speeders. But reports of abuse by police in Florida and around the country have sparked a bipartisan push to rethink their use.
A memo from the Florida Department of Transportation to local law enforcement agencies stated the authority to use the cameras on state roads is being withdrawn.
“While Florida law limits the issuance of permits for LPR systems to law enforcement agencies, the recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life,” the memo from FDOT chief operating officer Will Watts states.
DeSantis himself has soured on the cameras.
“No one has given law enforcement more tools than we have, but they need to be targeted at criminals,” DeSantis told reporters at an event in Jacksonville on Monday. “If they can create a dossier on your movements they would be able to make a fortune in selling that to companies for advertising and product placement.”
DeSantis also raised the specter of the COVID-19 pandemic-era lockdowns as another reason to block the cameras from creating a “surveillance state.”
“I don’t think it’s their intent to do general surveillance, but I will tell you, if we had all this around the country when covid happened you absolutely would have saw those turned on people who were outside of lockdown orders in California,” DeSantis said.
He added that while local sheriffs likely have used the technology effectively, the potential for abuse is too great.
“You also have to say how can this be misused,” DeSantis said. “I don’t think we have really strong penalties at all for that type of misuse.”
According to the memo, local law enforcement agencies that previously received a permit to use the cameras to take them down within 30 days. The memo also states there aren’t going to be any more permits given going forward.
“Further, as of the date of this memorandum, the Department will use its discretionary authority to cease the issuance of all future requests for LPR systems within its jurisdictional authority,” Watts wrote.
by Gray Rohrer, The News Service of Florida
Photos courtesy Flock for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Felon Pleads Guilty To Federal Gun, Meth Charges
September 1, 2026
An Escambia County felon has entered a guilty plea to federal drug and gun charges.
Travis W. Carroll, 26, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
Law enforcement responded to an armed robbery at a Beacon Food Store and observed Carroll, who matched the description given of the armed robbery suspect, riding an electric bicycle nearby. After he was pulled over, law enforcement located a loaded firearm, methamphetamine, a scale, and more than $600 in cash on his person, according to court documents.
Carroll faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon count; and a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
K-9 Sniff Leads To Fentanyl Bust At I-10 Ag Station In Escambia County
September 1, 2026
A routine agricultural inspection in Escambia County led to the arrest of a New York truck driver after officers intercepted an estimated $5,000 worth of suspected fentanyl at the state line.
Ac
cording to the Florida Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (OALE), Officer Sonia Soroka flagged a commercial tractor-trailer hauling produce as it entered Florida on Interstate 10 and directed the vehicle into Agricultural Inspection Station for a closer look.
During the inspection, K-9 Officer Austin Thomas deployed his partner, K-9 Mojo, to conduct an exterior free-air sniff of the vehicle. Mojo alerted to the scent of narcotics inside the truck’s cab.
A subsequent search of the cab uncovered a clear plastic bag containing individually wrapped powder and unmarked pressed pills. Field tests confirmed the substance was approximately 25 grams of suspected fentanyl, carrying an estimated street value of $5,000.
The driver, 30-year-old Joginder Singh of Bellerose, New York, was arrested and booked into the Escambia County Jail on felony drug trafficking charges.
Commerce Chief Kelly Named Sole Finalist for Pensacola State College President
September 1, 2026
Pensacola State College is poised to tap J. Alex Kelly, Secretary of the Florida Department of Commerce, as the school’s next president.
The school’s board of trustees made its recommendation Friday for Kelly to be the sole finalist after a national search.
“We believe he brings the experience, character and leadership needed to guide PSC into its next chapter and strengthen the college’s role in preparing students for the workforce needs of our region and to become productive citizens,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Zack Smith, who also chaired the search committee.
Kelly is in line to replace Edward Meadows, who has been president of PSC since 2008. This spring, Meadows announced he would retire at the end of 2026.
In his last year as president, Meadows made a base salary of $353,558.
DeSantis appointed Kelly as secretary in 2023, after the state folded and rebranded the Department of Economic Opportunity as the Department of Commerce.
As secretary, he currently earns a yearly salary of $185,996.64.
For the previous two years, Kelly worked in DeSantis’ office as his deputy chief of staff. Before that, he was chief of staff at the Florida Department of Education to then-Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.
PSC’s presidential search included 109 applicants from across the country, according to the school. The search committee then selected nine candidates for interviews and four candidates for in-person interviews in Pensacola.
Kelly will visit campus in late September for meetings and forums with students, faculty, staff and community members.
“I am incredibly grateful to be selected as the recommended finalist to lead Pensacola State College,” Kelly said. “I have gained a tremendous appreciation for the College, the dedication and thoroughness of the board of trustees, the opportunities PSC creates for students and the important role the college plays throughout Northwest Florida.”
Kelly joins a number of DeSantis administration members who have taken prominent educational leadership roles the past couple of years.
Most recently this summer, former Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas was selected the next president of Polk State College.
Kamoutsas was also DeSantis’ deputy chief of staff prior to becoming education commissioner in 2025.
by Ana Goñi-Lessan, The News Service of Florida
Northview Sweeps J.U. Blacksher, Undefeated Tate Blanks Washington
September 1, 2026
Northview Chiefs
The Northview High School Chiefs swept the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs from Uriah, Alabama, in straight sets across both junior varsity and varsity volleyball matches Monday evening in Bratt.
The varsity Lady Chiefs earned a decisive 3-0 victory over the Bulldogs. Northview set the pace early with back-to-back 25-20 wins in the opening frames before closing out the sweep with a 25-15 finish in the third set.
For more photos from Northview varsity on Monday, click here.
Up next, Northview will travel to Baker on Tuesday and Jay on Thursday.
In the preliminary matchup, the Northview junior varsity squad also took care of business at home, defeating J.U. Blacksher 2-0. Individual set scores for the JV contest were not available.
Tate Aggies
The Tate High School Aggies remained undefeated on the season Monday evening, sweeping the Booker T. Washington Wildcats 3-0 in Cantonment.
The varsity Lady Aggies improved to 6-0 overall, controlling the match in straight sets with scores of 25-13, 25-16, and 25-20.
Through six matches, the Aggies have been powered at the net by Torrie Garrett with 77 kills and Myla Manoso with 12 blocks. Bailie Merritt has anchored the offense and serving game with 136 assists and 13 aces, while Harper Leopard leads the back row with 50 digs and 50 receptions.
In junior varsity action, Tate also earned a clean sweep over Washington, defeating the Wildcats 2-0.
Tate will host Choctaw on Tuesday and Gulf Breeze on Thursday.
Pictured: Northview varsity defeated J.U. Blacksher 3-0 on Monday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Contractor Jesse Wayne LaCoste Sentenced To 30 Years
August 31, 2026
Embattled Cantonment contractor Jesse Wayne LaCoste was sentenced Monday morning to 30 years in state prison following his conviction last week on racketeering and organized fraud charges.
Chief Judge John Simon sentenced LaCoste to 30 years on each count—racketeering and organized fraud over $50,000—with the terms ordered to run concurrently.
A six-person jury deliberated for less than one hour Thursday before finding LaCoste guilty as charged under Florida’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and organized fraud. Jurors heard testimony that LaCoste used his company, LaCoste Construction Group, to defraud dozens of area homeowners out of $2 million between 2018 and 2022.
He was ordered to pay over $2.1 million in restitution.
Sentencing was delayed following the verdict so that victims could be present to speak at Monday morning’s hearing. Several victims provided testimony detailing how they paid LaCoste tens of thousands of dollars—and in some cases hundreds of thousands—for home rebuilds and repairs that were never completed or never started.
Both charges were first-degree felonies carrying a maximum of 30 years each, meaning LaCoste could have faced up to 60 years in prison if the judge had ordered the counts served consecutively.
LaCoste was previously sentenced in 2025 to 10 years in prison for grand theft and contractor fraud.