In Florida, preparations are underway to execute a man for the kidnapping and murder of an 18-year-old college student who was camping with his sister in Ocala National Forest.

If everything goes according to Florida’s plan with the lethal injection, 57-year-old Loran Cole will become the first prisoner executed in the state this year and the 13th nationwide.

Cole was found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of John Edwards, a freshman at Florida State University, on February 18, 1994. He was also convicted of sexual assault for the rape of Edward’s 21-year-old sister at the time.

If the execution proceeds, it would mark the seventh man executed in Florida since August 8, 2019. The last execution occurred in October when Michael Zach was executed for a 1996 murder.

Here’s what you should know about Cole’s case and impending execution:

Quantum of Death Row Inmates in Florida

As of Wednesday, Cole was one of 279 individuals, including two women, on Florida’s death row, part of a total of 2,241 individuals on death row across the U.S.

Just a day prior, a judge in Lee County, Florida, sentenced 30-year-old Wade Wilson to death for the brutal murders of Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz in 2019.

Those who are sentenced to death in Florida may choose their method of execution. Generally, lethal injection is used, but convicted individuals have the option to select electrocution instead.

If the Florida Supreme Court upholds Wilson’s conviction, he will have 30 days to choose his method of execution.

When is Cole’s Execution Scheduled?

Cole is scheduled for execution by lethal injection at Florida State Prison after 6 p.m. on Thursday.

This method is the most widely practiced execution method in the U.S. The execution process will start with a sedative called Etomidate, followed by the paralytic rocuronium bromide, and finally, the heart-stopping drug potassium acetate.

According to Florida’s execution guidelines, Cole may request a final meal, provided it does not exceed $40.

What Were the Convictions for Loran Cole?

On February 18, 1994, the Edwards siblings were preparing their campsite when they encountered Cole, who was then 27, and another individual, William Paul, then 20. Cole introduced himself as “Kevin,” claiming Paul was his “brother,” and assisted the siblings with their campsite.

That evening, the Edwardses went to a nearby pond to photograph alligators with the two men but never arrived there.

Before reaching the pond, Cole assaulted Edwards’ sister and restrained her with handcuffs. Her brother attempted to intervene but was overpowered by both men.

John Edwards was found dead after suffering fatal injuries from a slashed throat and severe skull fractures. The following morning, his sister was discovered tied between two trees; she had been raped but managed to free herself. A passerby found her and called for emergency services. Authorities later uncovered Edwards’ body, which had been concealed under pine needles, sand, and palm fronds.

Three days later, police took Cole and Paul into custody.

In 1995, both men were found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and using a deadly weapon in robbery. Cole also received a conviction for sexual battery and was sentenced to death, while Paul pleaded guilty to his charges and was given a life sentence.

Just ten days before the planned execution, Colleen Kucler, who has a 36-year-old son with Cole, revealed to YSL News that she visited him on death row and was “hoping for a miracle” concerning his case.

What have Cole’s defense attorneys argued?

Cole, who claims that Paul is the real murderer of Edwards, has filed over a dozen appeals since his conviction.

According to Gerod Hooper, the chief assistant at the Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, which aids death row inmates in Florida, “He insists that he didn’t kill Edwards and that the murder weapon was discovered among Paul’s belongings along with his fingerprints.”

Cole’s legal team recently argued that the lethal injection process would inflict “unnecessary pain and suffering” due to his Parkinson’s disease, which he has had since 2017, causing tremors in his arms and legs.

He also claimed that his life should be spared due to the “horrific abuse” he experienced at the infamous Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, a now-closed state-run reform school located about an hour west of Tallahassee.

On Friday, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously denied a request to stop Cole’s execution.

If executed, this will be Florida’s 106th execution since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.