James Duckett is scheduled for execution in Florida on March 31, 2026 for his alleged 1987 murder of Teresa McAbee.

NOTE: As of 5pm ET on March 26, 2027, a *temporary* stay is in place to allow time for the completion of DNA testing, which is expected on March 27. This stay may be revoked at any time. Please proceed as if the March 31 execution date will proceed.

Mr. Duckett has maintained his innocence since the day he was arrested. His attorneys argue that the case against him, built entirely on circumstantial evidence, has been undermined by recanted testimony, discredited forensic science, and the possibility of DNA testing that was never presented to the jury who sentenced him to death.

His attorneys argue that modern forensic technology — capable of producing answers that were unattainable in the 1980s — now exists, yet the state is pressing forward with an irreversible punishment while key evidence remains untested and unresolved. (UPDATE as of 3/15/26- DNA testing is underway!)

A Case Built on Circumstantial Evidence

The prosecution’s case relied on four main pieces of evidence:

• The testimony of a single witness who claimed she saw the victim leave in Mr. Duckett’s car
• A single pubic hair found on the victim’s clothing that an FBI analyst said was consistent with Mr. Duckett’s
• Tire tracks that allegedly matched his patrol car
• Teresa’s fingerprints found on the hood of his vehicle

Learn more about this case with Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.

This is the fifth death warrant of 2026, following an unprecedented execution pace in 2025. Florida led the nation in executions in 2025 by setting its own record for executions with Governor DeSantis signing 19 death warrants last year. Let's make sure Florida does not repeat this record in 2026.

Join the Virtual Vigil

Call Gov. DeSantis at 850-717-9337 with the following message:

"Hi. My name is [your name]. I am calling to urge Gov. DeSantis to stop the killing spree. We acknowledge the devastation caused by James Duckett's alleged actions in 1987, and we note that he has always maintained his innocence. The best thing we can do to honor Teresa is to ensure that the right person is being held accountable while working for the prevention of crime and not to replicate the violence she endured."

REGISTER FOR THE 3/31 VIGIL BEGINNING AT 5PM ET.

Communities of Faith - Toll Your Bells (or put up a sign & pray in the weeks prior) at the time of an execution. Learn more and register here.

While most states have moved away from the death penalty, Florida is accelerating executions at an alarming rate. Each warrant signed underscores the state’s embrace of a punishment that is arbitrary, racially biased, and out of step with evolving standards of decency.

We believe in accountability, and have sympathy for the victim's family members, friends and community. Their loss is tragic and unimaginable. But true justice and accountability does not require execution. A sentence of life without the possibility of parole protects society while also recognizing the human capacity for redemption and the role of childhood trauma in shaping adult behavior.

Florida does not need the death penalty to be safe. This execution will not make us safer, it will simply add another act of violence to an already tragic story. Justice does not require death.

Please sign the petition asking Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida State Board of Executive Clemency to do everything within their power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.