FL FL - LORAN COLE Ocala Natl Forest, 1990's

[deathrowstories]

Myname is Chris Dahl. I recently finishe da series of books on inmates awaiting death in the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida. One of the subjects of the books is a guy named Loran Cole (the book is Meet the Devil: The Loran Cole Story). I have read and re-read his storyu in particular and aside frombeing a very brutal story, it seems to have some holes in it. There are gaps in his chronology and it seems he was wandering the country for long periods of time and i doubt he was not active in crime. So how can we solve it? He claims to have killed the nephew of senator John Edwards in the Ocala National Forest. Anyone have any sort of leads or knowledge I might now have on this guy? You can check out some of the book at www.death-row-stories.com. Appreciate any input at all.

 

[bessie]

Here are links to early articles.

Published February 23, 1994

A teen-aged male camper was beaten to death and his sister was raped last weekend while camping a Florida national forest, and on Monday two men were charged with the crimes.One of the men had been released from a state prison in June after serving less than a third of his sentence.

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/23/us/killing-and-rape-in-a-florida-national-forest.html

September 29, 1995|By Lesley Clark of The Sentinel Staff


OCALA — A drifter with a long criminal history was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder, kidnapping and rape in the 1994 slaying of a Florida State University student and assault of his sister in the Ocala National Forest...


John Timothy Edwards and his sister, then a senior at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, were camping near Hopkins Prairie in February 1994 when they were lured down a forest path and attacked by Cole and William Christopher Paul.


http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1995-09-29/news/9509280811_1_edwards-cole-gleason


He has a long criminal history of burglary and theft, but he was never a murder suspect. Still, it's conceivable that he killed before the Edwards murder and rape. I think we can leave the thread open in this forum and see what time will tell.

 

[Sleuthster]

It's a possibility, but in all actuality many killers are caught after their first kill. It's basically a crime of opportunity. In this case, hiding out in the Ocala National Forest these 2 dumbarses came across the brother and sister and acted on the oppportunity IMO. Loren Cole was also released from prison only 8 months before this horrible crime. Now do I think he could have committed other crimes? Most definitely, especially robbery, car theft, etc.

I read Bessie's links and it is a sad case.

 

[eighth house]

Newbie here. I spent the 4 days leading up to this murder with these guys! In hindsite, lots of coulda, woulda, shouldas.... Based on what Cole wrote in my journal, there was a shared laugh among them as he referenced the smell of georgia pines. Trying to locate journal ( I recently moved) to share contents of what Cole wrote.


Here is another article associated with the case.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/19...n-cole-william-christopher-paul-orange-county

 

[bessie]

Welcome to Websleuths, eighth house. Sure hope you can locate that journal!

:welcome5:
​

 

[romans828]

Newbie here. I spent the 4 days leading up to this murder with these guys! In hindsite, lots of coulda, woulda, shouldas.... Based on what Cole wrote in my journal, there was a shared laugh among them as he referenced the smell of georgia pines. Trying to locate journal ( I recently moved) to share contents of what Cole wrote.


Here is another article associated with the case.

MURDER SUSPECTS SHARE

Eighth House,

I sent you a message a couple of years ago. Please let me know if you're still active on this site. It is very important. You could be in possession of valuable information regarding my sister's murder case. PLEASE.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Man convicted of killing FSU student in 1994 to be executed in August

Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant on Monday for 57-year-old Loran Kenstley Cole, according to documents posted Monday evening on the Florida Supreme Court website.

www.wctv.tv

Loran Kenstley Cole, 57, has been sentenced to death after being found guilty of the murder of 18-year-old FSU student John Edwards in 1994.

Cole then slashed Edwards’ throat, killing him. He then sexually assaulted John’s sister and left her tied to trees before she was able to escape and call the police.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Florida Gov. DeSantis signs death warrant in 1994 murder of FSU student

DeSantis' office announced that the execution of Loran Kenstley Cole, 57, was set for 6 p.m. Aug. 29.

www.tallahassee.com

 

[PayrollNerd]

Florida Death Row inmate says he shouldn't be executed because he was abused at school

Loran Cole was sent to the notorious and now-closed Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys.

www.tallahassee.com

......is the first prisoner scheduled to be executed this year in Florida is asking a judge to vacate his death sentence, arguing the state is “complicit in the horrific and tragic” abuse at the reform school that “contributed to his life choices.”

 

[PayrollNerd]

https://acis-api.flcourts.gov/courts/68f021c4-6a44-4735-9a76-5360b2e8af13/cms/case/3968b51f-1fb9-4967-b1a4-9c31f296fe90/docketentrydocuments/06b7b6ae-03f0-4eef-bac0-78fc1c2989eb

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1829358382597202310