Former Florida Police Officer Executed for Girl’s Murder as Authorities Link Him to Another Cold Case

RAIFORD, Florida — Former Florida police officer James Duckett was executed after being convicted of the 1987 murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee, bringing an end to a case that had remained unresolved for nearly four decades.

Duckett, 68, was put to death by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on July 28. McAbee’s family attended the execution, along with relatives of another Florida girl whom investigators believe Duckett also killed.

Authorities Believe He Was Responsible for Another Death

Investigators have long suspected Duckett in the disappearance and death of 14-year-old Jeanifer Weldon, who disappeared in September 1987, only months after McAbee was killed.

Weldon’s remains were discovered after an extensive search, but prosecutors never secured a conviction against Duckett in her case.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has said he remains convinced that Duckett was responsible for Weldon’s death.

However, unlike the McAbee case, the evidence connecting Duckett to Weldon’s death was largely circumstantial, meaning the allegation was never established through a criminal conviction.

Evidence Connected Duckett to McAbee

Duckett was working as a police officer when McAbee disappeared.

Investigators later developed DNA and fingerprint evidence linking him to her death. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to death.

Authorities said the strength of that evidence was significantly different from what they had in the Weldon investigation.

Because Duckett was already facing execution for McAbee’s murder, investigators ultimately decided not to continue pursuing a separate prosecution for Weldon’s death.

A Family Still Seeking Answers

For Weldon’s relatives, Duckett’s execution provided a measure of closure despite the lack of a conviction in her case.

Amy Weldon, Jeanifer’s younger sister, said she was confident authorities had identified the right person.

The family has lived for decades with unanswered questions surrounding Jeanifer’s disappearance, and investigators have continued to regard Duckett as the primary suspect.

Cold Case Investigation Continues

Authorities have said they are reviewing the possibility that Duckett may have been responsible for additional crimes.

Investigators are also using modern forensic techniques and historical evidence to revisit unresolved cases from the period.

While Duckett can no longer face prosecution, officials say the work to identify victims and provide answers to their families can continue.

For the families of McAbee and Weldon, the case represents nearly four decades of waiting for answers.

Duckett’s execution closes the legal proceedings surrounding McAbee’s murder, while questions surrounding Weldon’s death remain a painful part of Florida’s cold-case history.