Topline: The Florida Supreme Court has reinstated the death-warrant process for James Duckett, a former officer convicted in the 1986 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee.
Published: July 10, 2026 4:30 pm ET
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Teresa McAbee, left, and James Duckett
STARKE, FL — James Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer convicted in the 1986 killing of Teresa McAbee, is back on track for execution after the Florida Supreme Court lifted a stay that had temporarily paused the process.
WFTV reported that the court acted after new DNA evidence reviewed as part of Duckett’s legal challenge did not clear him of the crime. The court’s ruling returned the case to the path set in motion when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Duckett’s death warrant in February.
Duckett was convicted nearly 40 years ago in the murder of McAbee, who was 11 when she was killed. Prosecutors said Duckett, who was serving as a Mascotte police officer at the time, raped and murdered the child.
The case has remained active for decades as Duckett’s attorneys pursued repeated appeals and post-conviction challenges. The latest fight centered on whether newer DNA testing could undercut the conviction enough to stop the execution, but the state high court concluded it did not.
No execution date had been newly announced in the local report, but the court’s decision means the legal barrier that had delayed the warrant is no longer in place. That makes Duckett’s decades-long appeals battle one step closer to its end.
The ruling does not reopen the evidence against him in a broader way, but it does reinforce how courts continue to treat historic murder convictions when new forensic claims arrive long after trial. In this case, the judges concluded the testing was not enough to erase the verdict or halt the state’s push to carry out the sentence.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Florida Supreme Court Clears Way for Execution of Former Officer Convicted of Killing 11-Year-Old
The Florida Supreme Court has reinstated the death-warrant process for James Duckett, a former officer convicted in the 1986 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: July 10, 2026 4:30 pm ET
Teresa McAbee, left, and James Duckett
STARKE, FL — James Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer convicted in the 1986 killing of Teresa McAbee, is back on track for execution after the Florida Supreme Court lifted a stay that had temporarily paused the process.
WFTV reported that the court acted after new DNA evidence reviewed as part of Duckett’s legal challenge did not clear him of the crime. The court’s ruling returned the case to the path set in motion when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Duckett’s death warrant in February.
Duckett was convicted nearly 40 years ago in the murder of McAbee, who was 11 when she was killed. Prosecutors said Duckett, who was serving as a Mascotte police officer at the time, raped and murdered the child.
The case has remained active for decades as Duckett’s attorneys pursued repeated appeals and post-conviction challenges. The latest fight centered on whether newer DNA testing could undercut the conviction enough to stop the execution, but the state high court concluded it did not.
No execution date had been newly announced in the local report, but the court’s decision means the legal barrier that had delayed the warrant is no longer in place. That makes Duckett’s decades-long appeals battle one step closer to its end.
The ruling does not reopen the evidence against him in a broader way, but it does reinforce how courts continue to treat historic murder convictions when new forensic claims arrive long after trial. In this case, the judges concluded the testing was not enough to erase the verdict or halt the state’s push to carry out the sentence.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Florida Supreme Court Clears Way for Execution of Former Officer Convicted of Killing 11-Year-Old
The Florida Supreme Court has reinstated the death-warrant process for James Duckett, a former officer convicted in the 1986 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee.
By Aaron Stephensen
Published: July 10, 2026 4:30 pm ET
Teresa McAbee, left, and James Duckett
STARKE, FL — James Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer convicted in the 1986 killing of Teresa McAbee, is back on track for execution after the Florida Supreme Court lifted a stay that had temporarily paused the process.
WFTV reported that the court acted after new DNA evidence reviewed as part of Duckett’s legal challenge did not clear him of the crime. The court’s ruling returned the case to the path set in motion when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Duckett’s death warrant in February.
Duckett was convicted nearly 40 years ago in the murder of McAbee, who was 11 when she was killed. Prosecutors said Duckett, who was serving as a Mascotte police officer at the time, raped and murdered the child.
The case has remained active for decades as Duckett’s attorneys pursued repeated appeals and post-conviction challenges. The latest fight centered on whether newer DNA testing could undercut the conviction enough to stop the execution, but the state high court concluded it did not.
No execution date had been newly announced in the local report, but the court’s decision means the legal barrier that had delayed the warrant is no longer in place. That makes Duckett’s decades-long appeals battle one step closer to its end.
The ruling does not reopen the evidence against him in a broader way, but it does reinforce how courts continue to treat historic murder convictions when new forensic claims arrive long after trial. In this case, the judges concluded the testing was not enough to erase the verdict or halt the state’s push to carry out the sentence.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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