A Florida man who was convicted of raping and killing his manager at a convenience store in 1988 was executed on Thursday evening, marking the 17th execution in the state this year.
Richard Barry Randolph, aged 63, was found guilty of the brutal and prolonged murder and rape of Minnie Ruth McCollum, the convenience store manager. The incident occurred when McCollum, 62, interrupted Randolph’s attempt to break into the safe at the Handy Way Convenience Store, where he used to work, according to court records.
In 1989, Randolph was convicted of murder, armed robbery, sexual battery, and grand theft, and was sentenced to death. Thirty-seven years later, he was executed by lethal injection by the Florida Department of Corrections and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. Officials confirmed that the procedure went smoothly with no issues reported.
According to court documents, in August 1988, Randolph tried to break into a safe at a Palatka convenience store where he had previously been employed. McCollum confronted Randolph during the attempted break-in, leading to a physical altercation between the two.
Randolph proceeded to assault, strangle, stab, and sexually assault McCollum before fleeing the scene in her car, as per the records.
Three witnesses observed Randolph leaving the store in a disarray and promptly alerted the authorities. Upon arrival, the police found McCollum still alive but in a coma. She succumbed to severe brain injuries six days later, as confirmed by medical professionals.
Shortly after the incident, Randolph was apprehended at a Jacksonville grocery store while attempting to borrow money and redeem lottery tickets stolen from the convenience store. Police reported that Randolph confessed to the crime and directed them to the discarded bloody clothing.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Randolph’s appeals. He had contended that a lower court had unfairly denied him access to public records and that his lawyers had acted without his consent. The U.S. Supreme Court also declined Randolph’s final appeal on Thursday morning.
Opt for Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News to stay updated with the news that matters to you.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to enhance your site experience, analyze usage patterns, and provide personalized advertisements. You can opt out of data sale or sharing at any time by clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” option at the bottom of the page. Please be aware that your preferences are specific to the browser you are using. By using our website and services, you agree to the use of cookies and consent to the practices outlined in our Privacy Notice and <a data-testid="cipa-terms-and-conditions-notice-link" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/terms
