A Florida inmate who was on death row for nearly three decades was executed this evening by lethal injection, 28 years after the murder of 17-year-old Lynn Elliott, whose failed escape attempt ended a string of rapes and slayings that shook the quiet Florida town of Vero Beach.

David Alan Gore, 58, was pronounced dead at 6:19pm Thursday after receiving an injection at the Florida State Prison.

He issued a final statement detailing his remorse, a sharp contrast to the correspondence he kept with several pen pals over the decades, in which he relished his crimes.

For his last meal, Gore ate fried chicken, French fries, butter pecan ice cream, and a soft drink.

In the statement, he apologised to Ms Elliott’s now-elderly parents, saying he was ‘truly sorry for my part in the death of your daughter.’

He added that he became a different person after becoming a Christian. ‘I do not fear today but truly look forward to spending eternity with Christ.’

He concluded: ‘I just want to say I have had a tremendous amount of remorse and pray you and your family can forgive me. God bless all of ya’ll.’

In all, Gore killed four teenage girls and two women, authorities say. Ms Elliott's murder was the only one for which he was sentenced to death.


Through the years: Gore has been on death row since 1984; his execution date had been pushed up to Thursday, April 12 in part because of the graphic boasting in his letters



Lethal injection: Gore died by lethal injection at 6:19pm at Florida State Prison

Ms Elliott's parents had said as Thursday's execution time approached that this was the day they have been waiting for - a date many thought should have come years ago, considering there was no doubt he committed the crimes and he had shown no remorse for the killings.

'For us it's been a nightmare, because I just turned 81. I was beginning to think that I might die before he went,' said Carl Elliott, the girl's father, recently.

Jeanne Elliott almost did die. About two years ago she was in a coma, and doctors told her son to begin making funeral arrangements.


She suddenly began recovering, and she said she believes it was because of her wish to see the 58-year-old Gore die first.

Gore met with a spiritual adviser earlier Thursday and was visited by his mother and an ex-wife. He was calm and cooperative, said Department of Corrections spokeswoman Ann Howard.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied a final appeal less than two hours before the scheduled execution. The justices rejected an argument that Gore's death sentence should be lifted because a prior appellate attorney failed to locate a key witness for a claim that his trial lawyers were negligent during the case's penalty phase.


Witness: Family of Gore's victims sat on the other side of this glass partition after he was strapped into a gurney and has IV needles stuck in his arm

Life too short: Lynn Elliot was 17 when she was abducted, raped, and murdered by Gore


Closure: Carl and Jeanne Elliott, the parents of Lynn Elliott, may finally have some peace; they called Gore a 'devil'

On July 26, 1983, Gore and his cousin Fred Waterfield picked up Lynn Elliott and her 14-year-old friend hitchhiking to Wabasso Beach north of Vero Beach. They took them at gunpoint to Gore's parents' house. Waterfield left and Gore raped the girls, who were bound in separate rooms.

Ms Elliott freed her legs and ran naked from the house, hands still tied behind her back.


Gore, also naked, chased her, drug her back toward the house as she kicked and screamed and then shot her twice in the head. Police were called after a boy witnessed the murder.


Gore was caught and the other girl rescued.

After his arrest, Gore admitted to killing three other girls and two women and led authorities to the bodies of four of the victims. He was sentenced to life in prison for the other murders.

Gore managed to stretch out his appeals and remain on death row 28 years after he was condemned. Gov. Rick Scott signed his death warrant after the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers asked him about the case.

'I've been waiting for this day for years. I would've saved the state a lot of money if they let me. I'd do it myself and have no qualms about it,' said Mike Daley, whose wife, Judy Kay Daley was killed by Gore in July 1981.


More victims: Gore was convicted of killing 14-year-old Barbara Ann Byer (left), and Judy Kay Daley (right), 35


Mother and daughter: Hsiang Huang Ling, 48, (left) and Ying Huan Ling, 17, were killed in early 1981 by Gore


Strangely polite: Gore said in one letter: 'Please feel free to ask ANY question you want about anything. You can NOT offend me in any way'

Daley was Gore's third victim. He disabled her car while she was alone on a secluded beach, then waited for her to try to start it. When she couldn't, he offered her a ride, raped her, killed her, then chopped up her body.

LAST WORDS OF DAVID ALAN GORE
I would like to say to Mr and Mrs Elliott that I am truly sorry for my part in the death of your daughter. I wish above all else my death could bring her back. I am not the same man today that I was 28 years ago.


When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour I became a New Creature in Christ And I know God has truly forgiven me for my past sins. I am able to face today because I know Christ lives in me. The Apostle Paul said for to die is to gain. So I do not fear today but truly look forward to spending Eternity with Christ.


Mr and Mrs Elliott, I have prayed for you both and pray ya’ll can find the peace that only Christ can give.


Last, I just want to say I have had a tremendous amount of remorse and pray you and your family can forgive me.


God bless all of ya’ll.



More than two years later, he led authorities to where he buried her skull, hands and feet. He said he threw the rest of her body in a canal.

Five months earlier, Gore kidnapped, raped and murdered Ying Hua Ling, 17, and her mother, Hsiang Huang Ling, 48. Their bodies were stuffed in steel drums and buried in the orange grove where he worked.

Gore was arrested in July 1981 after being found in the back seat of a woman's car. He was shirtless and had a cocktail in one hand and a gun in the other.

He also had handcuffs, rope and a police scanner. Gore was sentenced to five years in prison, though he was paroled and served only about a year-and-a-half. He soon began killing again.

In May 1983, Gore and Waterfield picked up two 14-year-old hitchhikers, Barbara Ann Byer and Angelica LaVallee. The girls were raped, killed and dismembered.


While Gore says Waterfield was his partner throughout the killing spree, this was the only case that earned Waterfield a murder conviction.


He is serving back-to-back life sentences.

Letters Gore wrote to Tony Ciaglia of Las Vegas, recently published in the Pete Earley book Serial Killer Whisperer leave no doubt that Gore has no remorse.


If anything, he still got pleasure thinking about his crimes.


Abducted: Elliot and a 14-year-old friend were trying to hitchhike to Florida's Vero Beach when they were kidnapped by Gore


Accomplice: Fred Waterfield, Gore's cousin and accomplice in the killing of Miss Byer and Miss LaValle earned him a murder conviction he is currently serving back-to-back life sentences for







More than two years later, he led authorities to where he buried her skull, hands and feet. He said he threw the rest of her body in a canal.

Five months earlier, Gore kidnapped, raped and murdered Ying Hua Ling, 17, and her mother, Hsiang Huang Ling, 48. Their bodies were stuffed in steel drums and buried in the orange grove where he worked

Gore was arrested in July 1981 after being found in the back seat of a woman's car. He was shirtless and had a cocktail in one hand and a gun in the other.

He also had handcuffs, rope and a police scanner. Gore was sentenced to five years in prison, though he was paroled and served only about a year-and-a-half. He soon began killing again.

In May 1983, Gore and Waterfield picked up two 14-year-old






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