FLORIDA, USA — A man who kidnapped and murdered a woman from a Florida insurance office is slated for execution in the state under a death warrant issued by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Kayle Bates is scheduled to be executed on August 19, marking the 10th execution planned for this year. DeSantis signed the death warrant on Friday, only three days after the state executed Michael Bell, who was responsible for fatally shooting two individuals outside a Florida bar in 1993 during an attempted revenge attack.

Bell became the 26th person executed by court order in the U.S. this year, surpassing the 25 executions conducted last year. This represents the highest number of executions since 2015, when 28 individuals were executed.

Bates, now 67, was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in the June 14, 1982, Bay County killing of Janet White.

Bates abducted White from the State Farm insurance office where she worked, took her into some woods behind the building, attempted to rape her, stabbed her to death, and tore a diamond ring from one of her fingers, according to a letter from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier summarizing the history of the case.

Bates’ attorney, James Driscoll Jr., said in a phone call Saturday that he would be filing further appeals in the case.

“We believe his execution would violate the U.S. constitution,” he said.

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