Florida Lifts Stays Execution of Duane Owen Before June 15, 2023
Duane Owen, Florida
Updated: Wednesday, June 7, 2023
The Florida Supreme Court rejected a request to halt Duane Owen’s execution.
Updated: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Duane Eugene Owen is once again scheduled to be executed at 6 pm local time on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at the Florida State Prison in Raiford, Florida. Sixty-two-year-old Duane is convicted of murdering 14-year-old Karen Slattery on March 24, 1984, in Delray Beach Florida. He is also convicted of murdering 38-year-old Georgianna Worden on May 28, 1984, in Boca Raton, Florida. Duane has been on Florida’s death row for the last 37 years.
Duane Owen had a difficult childhood. His parents were alcoholics and Duane was exposed to and experienced sexual and physical violence. Duane had a history of drug and alcohol use from a young age. He briefly served in the US Army.
Karen Slattery was babysitting on the evening of March 24, 1984. After putting the children to sleep, someone broke into the home by cutting through a screen in a window in the master bedroom. Karen’s body was discovered in the master bedroom. She had been stabbed 18 times with a knife and there was evidence of sexual assault. The children Karen had been babysitting were unharmed.
On May 28 or 29, 1984, an intruder broke into the home of Georgianna Worden while she slept. She was struck over the head with a hammer, killing her. Evidence indicated she had been sexually assaulted after her death.
On May 30, 1984, Duane Owen was arrested on burglary charges unrelated to the two deaths. Eventually, Owen confessed to both crimes. His fingerprints were also found on objects at one of the crime scenes.
Owen was convicted of each murder and given separate death sentences.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a temporary stay of execution for Duane Owen ahead of his scheduled execution date of June 15, 2023. The execution is stayed to allow time for three psychiatrists psychiatric evaluations requested by his attorneys. Once the evaluations were completed, the results were reported to Governor DeSantis. The results showed that Owen has the mental capacity to understand why he is being executed. Following these results, Governor DeSantis lifted the previously granted stay of execution, meaning the execution can proceed on June 15, 2023, at 6 pm local time.
The Florida Supreme Court has also refused to halt Owen’s execution. The seven justices unanimously found that Owen was not mentally incompetent was eligible to be executed. One justice recused himself for unknown reasons.
Please pray for the families of Karen Slattery and Georgianna Worden. Please pray for strength for the family of Duane Owen. Pray that if Duane is innocent, lacks the competency to be executed, or should not be executed for any other reason, that evidence will be provided before his execution. Pray that Duane may come to find peace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
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