A man convicted of fatally shooting a man and woman during home invasion robbery and later confessing to three other killings is scheduled to be put to death in December under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Frank Athen Walls, 58, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Dec. 18 at Florida State Prison.
Walls would be the 19th person set for execution in Florida in 2025, with DeSantis overseeing more executions in a year than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The previous record was set in 2014 with eight executions.
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DeSantis signed Walls' death warrant two days before the scheduled execution of Richard Barry Randolph. Another convicted killer, Mark Allen Geralds, is set to die Dec. 9.
Attorneys for Randolph went to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to try to halt his execution. They appealed after the Florida Supreme Court rejected their arguments last week.
Walls was convicted of two counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping, burglary and theft and sentenced to death in 1988. The Florida Supreme Court later reversed the conviction and ordered a new trial, and Walls was again convicted and sentenced to death in 1992.
According to court records, Walls broke into the Okaloosa County mobile home of Eglin Air Force Base Airman Edward Alger and his girlfriend, Ann Peterson, in July 1987. Walls tied the couple up, but Alger managed to break free and attack Walls. Walls cut Alger's throat and them shot him in the head when the airman continued to fight. Walls then went to attack Peterson and shot her as she struggled.
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Walls was arrested the day after the bodies were found when his roommate tipped off police about Walls' odd behavior. During a search of the home, investigators reported finding items from the crime scene, and Walls later admitted to the killings.
After his conviction, DNA evidence linked Walls to the May 1987 rape and murder of Audrey Gygi. Walls pleaded no contest, avoiding another trial and possible death sentence. Walls also admitted responsibility for the killings of Tommie Lou Whiddon in March 1985 and Cynthia Sue Condra in September 1986 as part of a deal with prosecutors.
All five slayings occurred in Okaloosa County, where Walls lived.
Attorneys for Walls are expected to file appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Florida's most recent execution was the Nov. 13 lethal injection of Bryan Frederick Jennings, who was convicted of raping and killing his neighbor in Brevard County.
So far 43 people have been executed in the U.S. in 2025.
