Florida Has Executed Serial Killer Frank Athen Walls by Lethal Injection

Florida Executes Serial Killer Frank Athen Walls After 38 Years on Death Row

On December 18, 2025, after spending more than 38 years on death row, Frank Athen Walls—one of Florida’s most brutal serial killers—was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison. Convicted of a horrific string of murders committed between 1985 and 1987, Walls’ case became one of the longest-running death row sagas in the state’s history.

Here is the story of his chilling crime spree, his decades-long legal battles, and his final moments.

Early Life and Disturbing Red Flags

Frank Athen Walls was born on October 12, 1967, in Ocean City, Florida. While little is publicly known about his childhood, it is clear that he exhibited signs of a deeply disturbed mind from an early age. Before he even turned 20, Walls had developed a criminal pattern that included break-ins, voyeurism, and animal abuse.

At the time his killing spree began, Walls was working as a dishwasher at a local restaurant called Quincy’s. Earning minimum wage, he lived in a trailer with roommates who quickly sensed something unsettling about him. One roommate, Thomas “Animal” Farnum, later admitted to feeling deeply uncomfortable living with Walls, noting that Walls constantly talked about morbid subjects: rape, murder, and how to kill people without leaving evidence.

The Killing Spree Begins (1985–1986)

Walls’ first known murder took place on Tuesday, March 26, 1985, on Okaloosa Island. Walls, then just 17 years old, was performing community service on the beach when he spotted 19-year-old junior college student Tommy Lou Whitten. She was sunbathing, completely unaware she was being watched.

Armed with a knife, Walls approached her. There were no words and no confrontation. Without provocation, he slashed her throat in a single, swift motion. As Whitten bled to death on the white sand, Walls simply walked away, stole her car, and vanished. Her body was discovered later that afternoon, and her vehicle was found abandoned behind a random building the next day.

Eighteen months later, the violence escalated. On September 16, 1986, in Wright, Florida, Walls murdered 24-year-old Cynthia Sue Condra. Unlike the single fatal cut inflicted on his first victim, Walls unleashed an uncontrolled rage on Condra, stabbing her 21 times. He left her body on the side of the road, making no attempt to conceal it—a chilling display of arrogance.

A Fatal Mistake (May 1987)

In the early morning hours of May 20, 1987, near Fort Walton Beach, Walls broke into the mobile home of Audrey Gaji, a 47-year-old factory worker. She had no connection to Walls and was chosen simply because she was alone and vulnerable.

After sexually assaulting her, Walls left the scene. However, as he fled into the night, paranoia set in. Realizing he had left a living witness who could identify him, Walls returned to the mobile home. He stabbed Gaji to death, stole a small radio and a fan, and disappeared into the darkness. Her body was discovered the next morning by a concerned co-worker.

What Walls didn’t realize was that he had left a single fingerprint on the fan—a mistake that, thanks to later advances in DNA technology, would eventually seal his fate.

The Final Horrific Night (July 1987)

On July 22, 1987, around 1:30 a.m., Walls broke into a mobile home in the Greenwood Mobile Home Park. Inside were Edward Alger, a 22-year-old airman stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, and his 20-year-old girlfriend, Anne Louise Peterson.

This was not a burglary gone wrong; it was a carefully staged execution. Walls deliberately knocked over a fan to wake the couple up, wanting to watch their terror unfold. Armed with a .22 caliber handgun and a knife, Walls forced Anne to tie Edward’s hands and ankles before tying her up as well.

He then gagged them both and dragged Anne into the living room. However, Edward Alger refused to surrender. Through sheer willpower, he managed to loosen his restraints and attacked Walls in a desperate bid to save his girlfriend. Walls overpowered him, slashing Edward’s throat. Still fighting for his life, Edward bit Walls’ hand so hard that Walls dropped his knife. In response, Walls pulled out his gun and shot Edward three times in the head at point-blank range.

Walls then returned to Anne. He removed her gag, sexually assaulted her as she begged for her life, and shot her in the head. When the shot proved non-fatal, Walls placed a pillow over her face—so he wouldn’t have to watch her die—and executed her with a final gunshot. He stole $200, a worn leather wallet, and a fan before fleeing.

Arrest and Decades on Death Row

Walls was captured less than 24 hours later. His other roommate, John Early, noticed Walls acting strangely and saw the stolen items inside their trailer. Early immediately contacted the police. A search of the residence uncovered an arsenal of depravity: knives, ice picks, handguns, pornography, and blood-stained jeans.

In July 1988, prosecutors sought the death penalty. After a brief six-day trial, Walls was found guilty. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Anne Peterson and to life in prison for the murder of Edward Alger. Though this conviction was overturned in 1989, a retrial in 1992 resulted in the exact same sentences.

While Walls sat on death row, investigators kept working. In 1994, DNA evidence matched the fingerprint left on the fan at Audrey Gaji’s crime scene directly to Walls. Faced with overwhelming proof, Walls struck a plea deal. He pleaded no contest to Gaji’s murder and confessed to the killings of Tommy Lou Whitten and Cynthia Sue Condra to avoid further trials.

Over his 38 years at Union Correctional Institution, Walls filed multiple appeals. He notably claimed intellectual disability, arguing that his IQ of 72 made him ineligible for execution under Atkins v. Virginia. However, old records showed he had previously scored around 100 on IQ tests, leading a judge to rule that he was faking mental impairment to dodge the death penalty.

Execution Day: December 18, 2025

On December 18, 2025, at the age of 58, Frank Athen Walls’ time finally ran out. Waking up at 5:10 a.m., he remained compliant throughout his final day, receiving a visitor and accepting spiritual guidance.

For his last meal, he requested chicken, steak, vegetables, a baked potato, cheesecake, and juice.

At 6:00 p.m., Walls was escorted to the gurney at Florida State Prison in Starke, and the lethal injection was administered. According to witnesses, he moved and appeared to struggle during the procedure. It took approximately 15 minutes for him to die—a prolonged process that reflected a level of visible distress not commonly observed in modern executions.

Frank Athen Walls’ death marked Florida’s 19th execution of 2025, setting a historic record for the state in a single calendar year. More importantly, it brought an end to a 38-year wait for justice for the victims and their families.