29-year wait for execution of serial sex killer
Source: Agencies |
April 13, 2012, Friday
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A convicted killer was set to be executed yesterday, nearly 29 years after murdering 17-year-old Lynn Elliott, whose attempted escape ended a string of rapes and murders that shook the quiet Florida town of Vero Beach.
In all, David Alan Gore killed four teenage girls and two women. Elliott's murder is the only one for which he is condemned. He was scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6pm local time at Florida State Prison.
It's a day Elliott's parents have been waiting for and think should have come years ago, considering there is no doubt of Gore's guilt and that he has shown no remorse.
"It's been a nightmare. I've just turned 81 and was beginning to think that I might die before he went," Carl Elliott, the girl's father said.
Jeanne Elliott almost did die. Two years ago she was in a coma and her family were told to make funeral arrangements. But she recovered and believes it was because she wanted to see her daughter's killer die first.
On July 26, 1983, Gore and his cousin, Fred Waterfield, picked up Lynn Elliott and her 14-year-old friend hitchhiking to Wabasso Beach north of Vero Beach. They took them at gunpoint to Gore's parents' house.
Waterfield left and Gore raped the girls. Elliott managed to escape but was dragged back by Gore, who then shot her twice in the head. Police were called after a boy witnessed the murder. Gore was caught and the other girl rescued.
After his arrest, Gore admitted to killing three other girls and two women. He was sentenced to life in prison for the other murders.
Gore managed to stretch out his appeals and remain on death row 28 years after he was condemned. Governor Rick Scott signed his death warrant after a newspaper asked him about the case.
"I've been waiting for this day for years. I would've saved the state a lot of money if they let me," said Mike Daley, whose wife, Judy Kay Daley was killed by Gore in July 1981.
Five months earlier, Gore had kidnapped, raped and murdered Ying Hua Ling, 17, and her mother, Hsiang Huang Ling, 48.
Gore was arrested in July 1981, after being found in the back of a woman's car with a gun, handcuffs, rope and a police scanner. He was sentenced to five years in prison, though served 18 months. He soon began killing again.
In May 1983, Gore and Waterfield picked up two 14-year-old hitchhikers, Barbara Ann Byer and Angelica LaVallee. The girls were raped, killed and dismembered. While Gore says Waterfield was his partner throughout the killing spree, this was the only case that earned Waterfield a murder conviction. He is serving life sentences.
Nancy Byer also expressed frustration that it has taken so long to execute the man who killed her daughter.
"It's gone on so long that it's just exhausting. I'm ready for him to be gone. He has harmed so many people," said Byer.
"You have to wonder why. Why drag it out like this?"
In all, David Alan Gore killed four teenage girls and two women. Elliott's murder is the only one for which he is condemned. He was scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6pm local time at Florida State Prison.
It's a day Elliott's parents have been waiting for and think should have come years ago, considering there is no doubt of Gore's guilt and that he has shown no remorse.
"It's been a nightmare. I've just turned 81 and was beginning to think that I might die before he went," Carl Elliott, the girl's father said.
Jeanne Elliott almost did die. Two years ago she was in a coma and her family were told to make funeral arrangements. But she recovered and believes it was because she wanted to see her daughter's killer die first.
On July 26, 1983, Gore and his cousin, Fred Waterfield, picked up Lynn Elliott and her 14-year-old friend hitchhiking to Wabasso Beach north of Vero Beach. They took them at gunpoint to Gore's parents' house.
Waterfield left and Gore raped the girls. Elliott managed to escape but was dragged back by Gore, who then shot her twice in the head. Police were called after a boy witnessed the murder. Gore was caught and the other girl rescued.
After his arrest, Gore admitted to killing three other girls and two women. He was sentenced to life in prison for the other murders.
Gore managed to stretch out his appeals and remain on death row 28 years after he was condemned. Governor Rick Scott signed his death warrant after a newspaper asked him about the case.
"I've been waiting for this day for years. I would've saved the state a lot of money if they let me," said Mike Daley, whose wife, Judy Kay Daley was killed by Gore in July 1981.
Five months earlier, Gore had kidnapped, raped and murdered Ying Hua Ling, 17, and her mother, Hsiang Huang Ling, 48.
Gore was arrested in July 1981, after being found in the back of a woman's car with a gun, handcuffs, rope and a police scanner. He was sentenced to five years in prison, though served 18 months. He soon began killing again.
In May 1983, Gore and Waterfield picked up two 14-year-old hitchhikers, Barbara Ann Byer and Angelica LaVallee. The girls were raped, killed and dismembered. While Gore says Waterfield was his partner throughout the killing spree, this was the only case that earned Waterfield a murder conviction. He is serving life sentences.
Nancy Byer also expressed frustration that it has taken so long to execute the man who killed her daughter.
"It's gone on so long that it's just exhausting. I'm ready for him to be gone. He has harmed so many people," said Byer.
"You have to wonder why. Why drag it out like this?"
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