Man set to be executed 50 years after killing 16-year-old girl in Bonita Springs

Harold Gene Lucas is set to be executed by lethal injection on Tuesday, 50 years after murdering 16-year-old Jill Piper in Bonita Springs. "That's when we saw all the ambulances, and we knew something terrible had happened," said Buck Piper, Jill’s brother, recalling the day his teenage sister was killed in August 1976. Jill was shot multiple times and killed in the front yard of her parents’ home. Buck vividly remembers the moment he found her. "I tried cradling her, you know. Just told her I loved her and stuff like that," Buck said. Gene Lucas, Jill’s ex-boyfriend, was arrested shortly after the crime. He had also shot two others who survived. Lucas was convicted and sentenced to death, but the execution was delayed for decades due to appeals, new hearings, and re-sentencings. "We're like waiting for them to pick his name and say, 'It's your turn,'" said Cindi Piper, another family member. Now, Lucas’ turn has finally come. Court records show he is no longer contesting his execution. After his death warrant was signed, Lucas waived his remaining appeals and expressed his readiness to face the sentence. "I've been on death row for 50 years, and I have no desire to carry this any further. The sooner it's over, the better I'll enjoy it. I am tired," Lucas said to the judge. For Jill’s family, the execution brings a sense of closure that has eluded them for decades. Buck described the moment as surreal, noting that their father passed away still waiting for justice. Jill’s 86-year-old mother will now witness the resolution she has long sought. "They never got over the loss of their daughter, my sister. And it's something that still weighs on her mind to this day," Buck said. Lucas will be the 14th prisoner executed in Florida this year, a number that surpasses executions in all other states combined. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.