A man who was convicted of raping and murdering his manager at a Florida convenience store in 1988 was executed on Thursday, marking the state’s 17th execution of the year.
Richard Barry Randolph, 63, was found guilty of the brutal and prolonged murder and rape of Minnie Ruth McCollum, the convenience store manager, in 1988. During an attempted break-in at the Handy Way Convenience Store, where he used to work, Randolph encountered McCollum, leading to a fatal confrontation.
Following his conviction in 1989 for murder, armed robbery, sexual battery, and grand theft, Randolph was sentenced to death. Thirty-seven years later, he faced execution by lethal injection administered by Florida’s Department of Corrections. The procedure was carried out without any complications, and Randolph passed away at 6:12 p.m. without making a final statement.
In August 1988, court records indicate that Randolph tried to break into the safe at a convenience store in Palatka, where he was caught by McCollum. A struggle ensued, resulting in Randolph viciously assaulting, strangling, stabbing, and raping McCollum before fleeing the scene in her car.
Witnessed by three women, Randolph’s violent departure from the store prompted a police response. McCollum, found barely alive, succumbed to severe brain injuries six days later despite efforts to save her life.
Shortly after the incident, Randolph was apprehended at a Jacksonville grocery store while attempting to borrow money and redeem stolen lottery tickets. Police confirmed his involvement in the crime after he confessed and led them to the discarded bloody clothing.
Despite multiple appeals, Randolph’s efforts to overturn his conviction were denied by the Florida Supreme Court, with his final appeal rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday morning.