William Reaves, a 77-year-old veteran of the Vietnam War, is scheduled to face execution by lethal injection this Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke, with proceedings set to begin at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Reaves was sentenced to death for the murder of Richard Raczkowski, a deputy from Indian River County, a crime that took place four decades ago. This information was reported by the Associated Press (AP).
This execution marks the 18th in Florida for the year 2026, bringing the state close to its record of 19 executions in a single year, a milestone reached in 2025.
Additionally, Reaves will become the eighth individual over 70 to be executed in Florida this year.
The Deadly Incident: A Night, A Gun, and Four Shots
On the early morning of September 23, 1986, around 3:00 a.m., Reaves dialed 911 from a payphone near a shop in Vero Beach, seeking assistance to get a taxi.
Officer Raczkowski, aged 29, responded to the call. During their interaction, a gun slipped from Reaves' shorts. A struggle ensued over the firearm, and Reaves regained possession of it.
According to court records cited by CBS12, the deputy attempted to flee, but Reaves shot him four times in the back. Raczkowski later succumbed to his injuries.
In a recorded interview with investigators, Reaves confessed to the shooting, stating he was under the influence of cocaine and panicked.
He also expressed fear of arrest due to carrying the weapon, as he anticipated facing a mandatory three-year prison sentence.
Legal Battles and Decades on Death Row
Reaves was initially found guilty in 1987; however, the Florida Supreme Court overturned this conviction in 1991 due to a conflict of interest involving the prosecutor, who had previously represented Reaves in another case.
A second trial in 1992 saw a new jury convict him again, recommending the death penalty by a vote of ten to two.
Recently, the Florida Supreme Court dismissed his latest appeals.
The defense also challenged Florida's lethal injection protocol, which involves administering three drugs: a sedative, a paralytic, and a heart-stopping agent.
However, the state's court has previously upheld this method against similar challenges.
Governor Ron DeSantis issued the execution order on September 18 and denied clemency for Reaves.
Vietnam Service and Unrevealed PTSD
The case has sparked controversy due to Reaves' military background and the psychological impact of his service in the Vietnam War.
Deployed as an infantry soldier in 1969 at the age of 20, Reaves was acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs with a 100% disability rating for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) linked to his combat experience.
His attorneys argued that the jury recommending the death penalty was never informed of this medical evaluation.
Over a hundred veterans sent a letter to Governor DeSantis on Monday, urging him to halt the execution.
Reaves' niece, Meredith Farrington, also appealed to the governor to commute his sentence to life imprisonment, acknowledging the seriousness of the murder without contesting it.
"The governor can keep him in prison for the rest of his life, and he is still being punished without taking another life," she told WFLX.
Meanwhile, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers announced his intention to attend the execution.
"My purpose in going is for the last thing he sees to be a uniform from the Indian River County Sheriff's Department, knowing that justice has finally been served," he stated to CBS12.
The family of the slain officer has also spoken about the long-lasting impact of his death. His brother Marc recalled, "Christmas was never the same for our family after Richard was killed."
Florida Approaches Execution Record
Florida has carried out more than half of the 31 executions recorded across the United States in 2026, according to AP.
The state leads national execution numbers under the administration of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is set to leave office in January 2027.
In July, Florida executed two inmates on the same day, marking the first double execution in any U.S. state since Arkansas did so in 2017.
On October 14, Florida executed James Robertson, who had deliberately killed his cellmate to secure a death sentence.
The next execution is scheduled for November 5. The condemned, Jesse Guardado, 64, was sentenced for robbing and killing a woman in 2004 to obtain money for drugs.
If both the executions of Reaves and Guardado proceed as planned, Florida will conclude 2026 with at least 19 executions, matching the state record set last year.
Key Questions About Florida's Execution Practices
What crime led to William Reaves' death sentence?
William Reaves received a death sentence for the 1986 murder of Deputy Richard Raczkowski in Indian River County, Florida.
Why is Reaves' case controversial?
The case is controversial due to his military service in Vietnam and the psychological impact of PTSD, which was not disclosed to the jury during his sentencing.
How does Florida's execution rate compare nationally?
Florida leads the nation in executions for 2026, having conducted more than half of the executions in the United States this year.