James Ernest Hitchcock was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1977
Credit: Florida Department of Corrections
NEED TO KNOW
- James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, was executed on April 30 at Florida State Prison in Bradford County after being found guilty of killing his brother’s teenage stepdaughter in 1976
- Hitchcock was living with his brother in Orlando when he raped and killed 13-year-old Cynthia Driggers
- He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1977
A man in Florida was executed after being convicted of killing his brother’s teenage stepdaughter nearly 50 years ago.
James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, was executed on April 30 at Florida State Prison in Bradford County after his brutal 1976 crime, according to the Florida Appellate Case Information System. He died from lethal injection at around 6:12 p.m. local time.
His death warrant was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis a month earlier, on March 30.
Credit: Florida Department of Corrections
Hitchcock’s final message before his death was directed to his friend, per The Independent.
"Just to say goodbye to Joshua, my friend. Thanks for all you’ve done," he said while lying underneath a sheet and looking at the ceiling.
Court records reviewed by The Independent state that Hitchcock, then 20, was living with his brother in Orlando when he killed 13-year-old Cynthia Driggers. He told police after his arrest that he went into the girl’s room and raped her after consuming beer and marijuana with his friends.
Driggers told Hitchcock that she was going to tell her mom, and he began to choke her. He then took the girl outside, where he beat and choked her, eventually leaving her in the bushes while he showered and went to bed.
The man, who later blamed his brother for the crime, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1977. He filed several appeals over the years, but was resentenced to death in 1988, 1993 and 1996.
Driggers’ sister, Lynn Cobb, addressed reporters after the execution and said, “We will continue to remember Cindy by keeping her memory alive and always understanding that life is precious and time is valuable."
Credit: The Palm Beach Post/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Hitchcock marked Florida’s sixth execution in 2026 after the state’s record 19 executions last year, per NBC News.
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CBS-affiliate WKMG reported that Hitchcock's last meal was salad, chicken, ice cream, pie and soda. He was also visited by a family member.
According to the outlet, the Florida Supreme Court denied an appeal to halt Hitchcock’s execution a week prior, after his attorneys argued that he was innocent and accused the state of wrongdoing.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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