A shadow fell over Florida State Prison Thursday evening as Frank Athen Walls, 58, was executed for a brutal home invasion that spiraled into unimaginable violence. His death marked the state’s 19th execution of the year, a number that dramatically eclipses any previous record.
The crime itself was a chilling display of cruelty. In July 1987, Walls invaded the mobile home of Air Force airman Edward Alger and his girlfriend, Ann Peterson, near Eglin Air Force Base. What began as a robbery quickly devolved into a desperate struggle for survival.
Alger, displaying incredible courage, fought back against his attacker. Walls responded with savage force, cutting Alger’s throat and shooting him in the head. Peterson, as she struggled against her captor, was also fatally shot. The scene was one of utter devastation.
The following day, Walls was apprehended after his roommate alerted authorities to his disturbing behavior. A search of their home yielded evidence directly linking him to the horrific crime. He soon confessed to the murders, but the darkness within him extended far beyond that single night.
Walls’ confession opened a Pandora’s Box of additional atrocities. He admitted responsibility for the deaths of Tommie Lou Whiddon and Cynthia Sue Condra, and DNA evidence later connected him to the rape and murder of Audrey Gygi. The full scope of his crimes painted a portrait of a deeply disturbed individual.
Despite a previous conviction being overturned and a subsequent retrial in 1992 resulting in another death sentence, Walls’ legal battles continued for decades. His attorneys argued his intellectual disability and medical conditions should disqualify him from execution, but the Florida Supreme Court ultimately disagreed.
As 6 p.m. approached, the curtain to the death chamber rose, revealing Walls strapped to a gurney, largely concealed by a blanket. A Catholic priest stood at the foot of the gurney, his hand extended in a gesture of solace. It was a scene steeped in solemnity and finality.
In his final moments, Walls offered a brief apology. “Good evening, everyone,” he said, “I appreciate the opportunity to say what’s on my heart. If any of the members of the family are here, I am sorry for all of the things I did, the pain I caused, and all of that you have suffered all these years.”
The execution proceeded immediately after his statement, the priest remaining by his side, seemingly in prayer. Walls was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m., bringing a grim chapter to a close.
This execution places Florida at the forefront of capital punishment in the United States, far exceeding the number carried out by any other state this year. Nationally, 46 executions have been conducted in 2023, with more scheduled for the coming year.
Florida utilizes a three-drug protocol for lethal injections – a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug to stop the heart. The practice, and the death penalty itself, continues to be a subject of intense debate and scrutiny across the nation.
