Florida Executes James Ernest Hitchcock for 1976 Murder of Cynthia Driggers

James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, was executed by lethal injection Thursday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke for the 1976 killing of 13-year-old Cynthia Driggers. Hitchcock was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m., following a process that began promptly at 6 p.m. with 28 witnesses present, including members of Driggers' family.

Hitchcock was convicted of first-degree murder after court records showed he beat and choked Driggers, his brother's stepdaughter, in suburban Orlando. Investigators said Hitchcock confessed to police after his arrest, but later recanted during his trial and blamed his brother. He was initially sentenced to death in 1977, with resentencing occurring in 1988, 1993, and 1996 after years of appeals.

Family members of Driggers addressed reporters after the execution, expressing relief and reflecting on the impact of her death. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Hitchcock's final appeal earlier Thursday.

This execution marks the sixth in Florida this year under death warrants signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. Florida led the nation in executions in 2025, with a total of 47 carried out across the United States that year. Another execution in Florida is scheduled for May 21.