Richard Barry Randolph, 63, is scheduled to be executed Thursday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke. The lethal injection, set to begin at 6 p.m., will mark the culmination of a decades-long legal battle following a brutal crime committed in 1988.
Randolph was convicted of murder, armed robbery, sexual battery, and grand theft, receiving a death sentence in 1989. The case centers around Minnie Ruth McCollum, Randolph’s former manager at a Palatka convenience store, whose life was violently extinguished.
In August 1988, Randolph attempted to rob the Handy-Way convenience store, a place he once knew as an employee. McCollum discovered him trying to break into the safe, triggering a horrific confrontation that would irrevocably alter the course of many lives.
The struggle quickly escalated into unimaginable violence. Randolph subjected McCollum to a savage attack, beating, strangling, stabbing, and raping her before fleeing the scene in her car. The details of the assault, as documented in court records, paint a chilling picture of brutality.
Three women witnessed Randolph’s departure, noticing the disarray within the store through the window. Their quick thinking in contacting the sheriff’s office led to a swift response. A deputy arrived to find McCollum clinging to life.
Rushed to a hospital, McCollum remained in a coma for six agonizing days before succumbing to severe brain injuries. Her death transformed a robbery attempt into a case of capital murder, fueling a relentless pursuit of justice.
Randolph’s capture came swiftly after the attack. He was apprehended at a Jacksonville grocery store, attempting to cash stolen lottery tickets and borrow money. Investigators say he confessed to the crime, even leading them to the discarded, blood-stained clothing he wore during the assault.
Despite numerous appeals, the Florida Supreme Court recently denied Randolph’s requests for a stay of execution. He argued issues with access to public records and claimed his defense lawyers had acted without his consent, but the court upheld the original conviction.
This execution will be Florida’s 17th of 2025, shattering previous records and establishing a grim new precedent. The state is on track to far surpass its previous high of eight executions in a single year, set in 2014.
Nationwide, 43 individuals have been executed this year, with more scheduled to follow. Florida leads the nation in executions, followed by Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas. The state’s aggressive pursuit of capital punishment is driven, in part, by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Two more executions are already scheduled for December. Mark Allen Geralds, convicted of a fatal stabbing during a home invasion, is slated for execution on December 9th. Frank Athen Walls, who confessed to multiple killings, faces execution on December 18th.
Florida’s lethal injection protocol involves a three-drug combination: a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug to stop the heart. The process, carried out by the Department of Corrections, represents the final act in a decades-long legal and moral debate.
