Thursday Execution Scheduled for Florida Killer and Rapist Loran Cole

On August 29, Florida is set to carry out the execution of Loran Kenstley Cole, a convicted murderer, kidnapper, and rapist, by lethal injection. The execution is scheduled to take place at Florida State Prison.

Cole was convicted for the brutal killing of John Edwards, an 18-year-old student at Florida State University, in 1994. The incident took place at a campsite where Cole initially pretended to assist Edwards and his then 21-year-old sister, Pam.

During their encounter, Cole left the campsite and returned with another man he claimed was his brother. As the group walked, he suddenly attacked Pam Edwards, handcuffing her and forcing her to the ground. John Edwards intervened to help his sister but was overpowered by Cole.

Following Edwards’ struggle, the second man took Pam away from the scene, allowing Cole to turn his violent focus on John. In a horrific act, Cole murdered Edwards, slitting his throat and bludgeoning him.

After the attack, Pam Edwards was sexually assaulted before being tied to two trees. She managed to free herself the next morning and alert authorities.

If the execution proceeds as planned, Cole will become the first inmate executed in Florida this year, marking the 13th execution nationwide in 2024.

Currently, there are 279 individuals on death row in Florida, which includes two women. On a national scale, there are a total of 2,241 men and women awaiting execution in the United States.

Cole has consistently maintained that he should not have been convicted, citing a history of severe abuse he endured as a child at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, a state-run reform school that later closed due to allegations of neglect and mistreatment.

He describes the abuse he suffered, claiming it included physical assault and being raped, as well as severe punishment such as having both of his legs broken by staff following an escape attempt. For years, Cole challenged the validity of his conviction, attempting to shift responsibility for his crimes onto his co-defendant.