Florida executed Andrew Richard Lukehart by lethal injection Tuesday at Florida State Prison in Raiford. File photo by Ulises Rodriguez
June 2 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida executed a Jacksonville, Fla., man Tuesday for the 1996 murder of his girlfriend's 5-month-old daughter.
Andrew Richard Lukehart, 53, died by lethal injection Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison in Raiford after the state Supreme Court rejected his final appeal for a stay of execution, First Coast News reported.
Het was the eighth person in Florida to be executed this year.
Lukehart was on Florida's death row for nearly 30 years. In 1996, he struck 5-month-old Gabrielle Hanshaw in the head at least five times, fracturing her skull and killing her before dumping her body in a nearby body of water, but told investigators someone had abducted her from his car. He later led police to her body after a widespread search, USA Today reported.
