NewsNBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ) – Local NewsSeptember 1, 2026Miami-Dade
Florida executes Harold Gene Lucas for 1976 murder
The state of Florida executed 74-year-old Harold Gene Lucas via lethal injection on Tuesday at Florida State Prison. Lucas was convicted for the 1976 murder of 16-year-old Jill Piper and the wounding of two others.
Read the full story at NBC 6 South Florida (WTVJ) – Local NewsWhy It Matters
This execution marks the 14th carried out in Florida this year, with two additional executions scheduled for later this month.
Key Facts
- Harold Gene Lucas was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m. following a three-drug lethal injection.
- This is the 14th execution carried out in Florida in 2025.
- Two additional executions are scheduled in Florida for September 10 and September 29.
- Lucas had been on death row for 50 years following his 1976 conviction.
- Lucas was sentenced to death five separate times between 1977 and 1990 due to various court rulings and resentencing orders.
- The execution was the first of three planned in Florida for the month of September.
- Florida has conducted 19 executions in 2025, the highest number in the U.S. this year.
- The execution protocol consists of a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug to stop the heart.
Who's Mentioned
personDaniel Owen Conahan Jr.“Scheduled for execution on Sept. 10.”personJill Piper“The victim of the 1976 murder.”personHarold Gene Lucas“The individual executed by the state of Florida.”personTerri Rice“A friend of the victim wounded during the 1976 attack.”personRon DeSantis“Governor of Florida who signed death warrants.”personRichard Byrd Jr.“A friend of the victim wounded during the 1976 attack.”locationFlorida State Prison“The site of the execution.”personCurtis Wilkie Beasley“Scheduled for execution on Sept. 29.”