Frank Athen Walls, a notorious serial killer who terrorized Florida in the mid-1980s, was executed by lethal injection on December 18, 2025, at Florida State Prison. After nearly four decades on death row, his execution marks a grim conclusion to a case that has haunted the state for years.
Walls, convicted of at least four brutal murders, was sentenced to death in 1988. His killing spree began at just 17 years old, with the senseless slaying of college student Tommy Lou Whitten on Okaloosa Island. This 𝓈𝒽𝓸𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 act of violence set the stage for a series of horrific crimes that would follow.
The violence escalated dramatically with the murder of 24-year-old Cynthia Sue Condra in 1986, where Walls unleashed a savage fury, stabbing her 21 times. His third victim, Audrey Gaji, was raped and murdered in a chilling display of control, while his final act of terror claimed the lives of Edward Alger and Anne Louise Peterson in 1987.
Walls was arrested shortly after the murders, thanks to a tip from his roommate and crucial forensic evidence. Despite multiple trials and appeals, he remained on death row, attempting to evade execution by claiming intellectual disability—a claim ultimately rejected by the courts.
On the day of his execution, Walls woke early and appeared compliant, receiving spiritual guidance before his final meal of steak, chicken, and cheesecake. However, the execution process was notably prolonged, taking approximately 15 minutes, during which Walls visibly struggled.
His execution on December 18 marks a significant moment in Florida’s criminal justice history, being the 19th execution of 2025—setting a record for the state. With Walls’ death, a haunting chapter of violence and terror that gripped Florida for decades has finally come to a close.