Florida is preparing to carry out the execution of a man convicted of a heinous crime that took place nearly three decades ago. Andrew Richard Lukehart, now 53, has been sentenced to death for the brutal murder of his girlfriend’s infant daughter, a crime that shook the community back in February 1996.
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed his ninth death warrant this year, setting the stage for Lukehart to face execution by lethal injection on June 2, 2026. The grim details of this case highlight the brutality of Lukehart’s actions when, at 22 years old, he fatally injured five-month-old Gabrielle Hanshaw during a failed attempt to change her diaper. According to court records reviewed by News4Jax, Lukehart forcefully pushed the baby’s head and neck against the floor in a fit of frustration, leading to her tragic death.
In an effort to conceal his crime, Lukehart disposed of Gabrielle’s lifeless body in a local pond before fleeing. He then attempted to fabricate a story, calling his girlfriend about half an hour later to falsely claim that Gabrielle had been kidnapped, and that he was in pursuit of the supposed abductor. The chilling nature of this deception underscores the horror of the crime and the subsequent cover-up attempt.
Lukehart, who was 22 at the time, attempted to change Gabrielle’s diaper, but when she would not lie flat, he ‘forcefully and repeatedly pushed her head and neck to the floor,’ killing her, according to court records obtained by News4Jax.
The murderer then disposed of the infant’s body in a nearby pond and fled the scene.
About 30 minutes later, he called his girlfriend and claimed an individual had kidnapped the girl and that he was chasing them.
Lukehart told police that Gabrielle was snatched from the front of his partner’s home, but he contradicted his own statement, later claiming the abduction unfolded at a store.
He eventually admitted to the heinous crimes and the killing of the infant.
Andrew Richard Lukehart, 53, was convicted and given the death penalty for the murder of five-month-old Gabrielle Hanshaw in February 1996
Lukehart, who was 22 at the time, attempted to change Gabrielle’s diaper, but when she would not lie flat, he ‘forcefully and repeatedly pushed her head and neck to the floor’
Lukehart telling the court he ‘panicked,’ after he realized the baby stopped breathing
During his trial, Lukehart testified and told jurors he handled the baby so violently that she stopped breathing, causing him to ‘panic.’
‘I got scared, and I started to panic, and I ran outside, threw the diaper away, and I jumped into my car and started it up and left,’ he said.
‘I felt bad. I felt guilty,’ he added.
After an hour and a half, the jury declared Lukehart guilty. A month after his conviction, in March 1997, the jury voted 9–3 to recommend the death penalty.
Upon hearing the ruling, an eerily stoic Lukehart sat in court, while his family caused a scene – his mother became distraught and ran out of the courtroom shouting.
This death sentencing follows another Florida killer who was executed on Thursday after he murdered his brother’s stepdaughter five decades ago.
James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, was convicted of strangling and beating 13-year-old Cynthia Driggers to death in 1976.
Hitchcock was executed by lethal injection at about 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Prison after Governor Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant on March 30.
After an hour and a half, the jury declared Lukehart guilty
Lukehart’s girlfriend, she told the outlet at the time that she wanted the death penalty for her ex
Last year, 47 people received the death penalty and were executed in the US.
Florida had the most executions, with Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas all tying for second with five executions each in 2025.
In Florida, all executions are carried out by lethal injection, with a sedative, paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart all administered to the subject, according to the Department of Corrections.
