Coverage dated July 13, 2026 to July 16, 2026

74-year-old inmate executed in Florida for 1982 murder

Headline from WMUR, from the development of Jul 14, 2026

Newest development Jul 15, 2026 · 4 reportsOldest inmate executed in Florida’s modern history branded ‘brutal and sadistic’ by victim’s heartbroken sister

Dennis Sochor, convicted of killing 18-year-old Patricia Gifford in 1982, became the oldest inmate executed in Florida at the age of 74.

WMUR's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Developments in this update

4 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Is there such a thing as being too old to execute? Aging death row inmates are set to die in Florida

    Headline from ABC 11 Raleigh ·

  2. Florida prisoner, 74, set to be oldest inmate executed in state's modern history

    Headline from WKBN Youngstown ·

  3. Names this update

    74-year-old inmate executed in Florida for 1982 murder

    Headline from WMUR ·

  4. Newest

    Oldest inmate executed in Florida’s modern history branded ‘brutal and sadistic’ by victim’s heartbroken sister

    Headline from New York Post ·

4 reports not tied to one development ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

42 articles, oldest first.

  1. Kokomo Tribune

    Is there such a thing as being too old to execute? Aging death row inmates are set to die in Florida (opens Kokomo Tribune)

    Published

    Kokomo Tribune's feed description

    Florida is in the process of executing three of its oldest death row inmates back to back — each one older than the last. In June, the state put Dusty Ray Spencer to death for fatally stabbing his wife in…

  2. NBC 6 South Florida

    Too old to execute? Aging death row inmates set to die in Florida (opens NBC 6 South Florida)

    Published

    NBC 6 South Florida's feed description

    Clouds hover over the entrance of the Florida State Prison in Starke, Fla., Aug. 3, 2023.

  3. Orlando Weekly

    Final wish of Florida death row inmate is for DeSantis to watch his execution (opens Orlando Weekly)

    Published

    Orlando Weekly's feed description

    Dennis Michael Sochor, convicted of strangling an 18-year-old woman he met at a New Year’s celebration in a Broward County bar 44 years ago, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Tuesday at Florida State Prison. His last wish? To have Gov.

  4. Philadelphia Inquirer

    Florida prisoner, 74, set to be oldest inmate executed in state's modern history (opens Philadelphia Inquirer)

    Published

    Philadelphia Inquirer's feed description

    Florida is set to execute a 74-year-old man, its oldest inmate in over a century, just weeks after executing another inmate who was then the oldest to receive the state's death penalty

  5. WFLA

    Florida prisoner set to be oldest inmate executed in state's modern history (opens WFLA)

    Published

    WFLA's feed description

    MIAMI (AP) — Florida was again preparing Tuesday to execute one of its oldest death row prisoners in history, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who is one of three older inmates set to die in the span of a month in the nation’s busiest death penalty state.

  6. NBC Boston

    Man who killed Winthrop native in 1982 executed in Florida (opens NBC Boston)

    Published

    NBC Boston's feed description

    Florida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old man convicted in the murder of a woman from Massachusetts 44 years ago. Dennis Sochor, one of three older inmates scheduled for execution within the span of a month in the nation’s busiest death penalty state, …

  7. DeSantis Daily

    A Death Row Killer Invited Ron DeSantis to Watch His Execution (opens DeSantis Daily)

    Published

    DeSantis Daily's feed description

    Florida executed 19 killers in 2025 – more than any state in eight decades. Now a man on death row for strangling a teenage girl wants the governor front and center for number ten. Dennis Sochor just sent Ron DeSantis a personal invitation to his execution – and the message behind it tells you every…

  8. UPI

    Florida prisoner set to be oldest person executed in state's history (opens UPI)

    Published

    UPI's feed description

    Florida on Tuesday is set to execute a man convicted of murdering a woman at a 1982 New Year's Eve party then disposing of her remains.

  9. PBS NewsHour

    Florida to execute 3 of its oldest death row inmates by the end of the month (opens PBS NewsHour)

    Published

    PBS NewsHour's feed description

    Florida is in the process of executing three of its oldest death row inmates back to back — each one older than the last.

  10. Kokomo Tribune

    74-year-old Florida man becomes oldest inmate executed in the state’s modern history (opens Kokomo Tribune)

    Published

    Kokomo Tribune's feed description

    74-year-old Florida man becomes oldest inmate executed in the state’s modern history.

  11. WCBD News 2

    Man, 74, becomes oldest inmate executed in Florida in state's 10th lethal injection this year (opens WCBD News 2)

    Published

    WCBD News 2's feed description

    STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Florida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who was one of three older inmates scheduled for execution within the span of a month in the nation’s busiest death penalty state.

  12. The Guardian

    Florida executes one of its oldest prisoners in state’s 10th lethal injection this year (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Man who was 74 was one of three older prisoners scheduled for execution within the span of a month Florida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its state history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who was one of three older prisoners scheduled for execution within the span of a mont…

  13. FOX 8 Cleveland

    Man, 74, becomes oldest inmate executed in Florida (opens FOX 8 Cleveland)

    Published

    FOX 8 Cleveland's feed description

    Florida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who was one of three older inmates scheduled for execution within the span of a month in the nation’s busiest death penalty state.

  14. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

    Florida puts 74-year-old to death for ’82 murder (opens Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

    Published

    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's feed description

    STARKE, Fla. -- Florida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who was one of three older inmates scheduled for execution within the span of a month in the nation's busiest death penalty state.

  15. The Boston Globe

    Man convicted of killing Winthrop woman in 1982 becomes oldest inmate executed in Florida (opens The Boston Globe)

    Published

    The Boston Globe's feed description

    The man was convicted of killing Patricia Gifford on Jan. 1, 1982, just hours after meeting the 18-year-old woman at a New Year’s Eve party.

  16. WMUR

    74-year-old inmate executed in Florida for 1982 murder (opens WMUR)

    Published

    WMUR's feed description

    Dennis Sochor, convicted of killing 18-year-old Patricia Gifford in 1982, became the oldest inmate executed in Florida at the age of 74.

  17. Florida Phoenix

    Florida executes the 29th person on death row in 19 months — two more scheduled (opens Florida Phoenix)

    Published

    Florida Phoenix's feed description

    The state of Florida put to death Dennis Sochor early Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke, making him the 10th inmate executed this year and the 29th since January 2025, as Gov. Ron DeSantis continues a record pace of executions.

  18. Tampa Free Press

    Florida Executes Dennis Sochor, 74, The State’s Oldest Inmate Put To Death In Modern History (opens Tampa Free Press)

    Published

    Tampa Free Press's feed description

    Florida executed 74-year-old Dennis Sochor on Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison, making him the oldest inmate put to death in the state’s modern history. Sochor’s execution is part of a consecutive series of lethal injections scheduled by the state involving three aging inmates over a one-mont…

  19. New York Post

    Oldest inmate executed in Florida’s modern history branded ‘brutal and sadistic’ by victim’s heartbroken sister (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    “He had 45 years to return Patty’s remains to us, but he cruelly chose not to,” the victim's sister said.

  20. The Week

    The US is executing more elderly inmates (opens The Week)

    Published

    The Week's feed description

    Dennis Sochor has become the oldest-ever prisoner executed in Florida, as US death row populations age

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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