STARKE, Florida – In May of 1986, a 21-year-old woman, Angie Crowley, was kidnapped, raped, beaten and then murdered while on a road trip in Florida. Tuesday evening, 27 years later, her killer was set to be executed by lethal injection in the small northern Florida town of Starke.
Seventeen of the victim’s loved ones were in attendance and sat shoulder to shoulder to witness the execution of William Frederick Happ at the Florida State Prison. Two brothers, two sisters, a nephew and an aunt waited in silence. Nobody said a word…except William Frederick Happ:
“For 27 years, the horrible murder of Angela Crowley has been clouded by circumstantial evidence and uncertainty,” Happ said. “For the sake of her family, loved ones and all concerned, it is to my agonizing shame that I must confess to this terrible crime.”
He was executed by lethal injection minutes later.
Upon hearing the confession, it was reported that one woman’s jaw dropped. She was wide-eyed, and jerked to look at the man seated beside her. Chris Crowley, the victim’s brother said the confession came as a shock but “You need to ask somebody a lot more important than me for forgiveness.”
His sister was a former honors student and high school cheerleader.
It took 13 minutes to stop the heart of William Frederick Happ.