Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. was executed by the State of Florida on September 10, 2026.

In this update, I cover Conahan’s final hours, the execution itself, and what relatives and a friend of Richard Montgomery said afterward.

This is a follow-up to my full episode on the kidnapping and murder of 21-year-old Richard Montgomery and the case that sent Conahan to Florida’s death row.

On September 10, 2026, the State of Florida is scheduled to execute Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. for the kidnapping and murder of 21-year-old Richard Allen Montgomery.

Thirty years later, Conahan maintains his innocence.

This episode tells Richard’s story and the case that put Daniel Conahan on Florida’s death row.

SOURCES

Conahan v. State, 844 So. 2d 629 (Fla. 2003), Florida Supreme Court.

Conahan v. State, 118 So. 3d 718 (Fla. 2013), Florida Supreme Court.

Conahan v. State / Conahan v. Secretary, Nos. SC2026-1234, SC2026-1236, SC2026-1281 & SC2026-1282 (Fla. Sept. 3, 2026), Florida Supreme Court.

Conahan v. Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections, No. 2:13-cv-428-JES-KCD (M.D. Fla. Mar. 27, 2023).

Conahan v. Dixon, No. 24-6182, U.S. Supreme Court petition and appendix.

Conahan v. State, SC00-170, Initial Brief, Florida Supreme Court.

Florida Commission on Capital Cases — Daniel Conahan case information.

State of Florida / Florida Supreme Court ACIS — Daniel Owen Conahan Jr. death warrant and 2026 death-warrant proceedings.

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office — “27 Years Later DNA Confirms Identity of John Doe #1, Possible Victim of 1990s Serial Killer” (June 9, 2021).

FBI ViCAP — unidentified human remains, North Port, Florida.

Additional source material included court filings, trial and deposition testimony, contemporary reporting on Richard Montgomery’s murder and Daniel Conahan’s trial and sentencing, and law-enforcement reporting concerning the unidentified and unresolved southwest Florida cases discussed in this episode.

Harold Gene Lucas was executed by the State of Florida on September 1, 2026, nearly 50 years after the murder of 16-year-old Anthia Jill Piper.

In this short update to Episode 1 of Scheduled: An American Execution, Kayla follows the case through Lucas’s final day and execution at Florida State Prison, including his final statement, the lethal injection procedure, and what members of Jill Piper’s and Terri Rice’s families said afterward.

For the full story of Jill Piper’s murder and the case that led to Lucas’s death sentence, listen to Episode 1 of Scheduled.

On August 14, 1976, sixteen-year-old Anthia Jill Piper was killed outside her family’s home in Bonita Springs, Florida. Harold Gene Lucas was convicted of her murder and sentenced to death.

What followed was a legal process that stretched across five decades, including multiple overturned death sentences, resentencing proceedings, and years of state and federal appeals.

On September 1, 2026, Lucas is scheduled to be executed by the State of Florida.

In the first episode of Scheduled: An American Execution, Kayla Shannon follows the case from the events surrounding Jill’s death through Lucas’s trial, sentencing, appeals, post-conviction proceedings, and the execution date now on the calendar.

Sources & Research

This episode was researched primarily through the official court record, including records made publicly available through the Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller and additional case documents obtained from the Clerk. Research included available filings, testimony, sentencing and resentencing records, motions, orders, post-conviction proceedings, and other documents in the Harold Gene Lucas case.

Additional legal research included published opinions and filings from the Florida Supreme Court and federal courts spanning Lucas’s direct appeals, resentencings, post-conviction litigation, and federal habeas proceedings.

Additional reporting and historical context came from contemporary and archival news coverage, including reporting from the Naples Daily News and other Florida and Southwest Florida news outlets. Publicly available statements and comments from Jill Piper’s family, friends, and members of the community were also consulted where relevant to their own memories and experiences.

Major appellate decisions consulted include Lucas v. State, 376 So. 2d 1149 (Fla. 1979); 417 So. 2d 250 (Fla. 1982); 490 So. 2d 943 (Fla. 1986); 568 So. 2d 18 (Fla. 1990); 613 So. 2d 408 (Fla. 1992); and 841 So. 2d 380 (Fla. 2003), along with subsequent federal and warrant-stage proceedings.

This podcast discusses murder, violence, drug use, and capital punishment and may not be suitable for all listeners.