Florida executed Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., 72, by lethal injection on September 10, 2024, for the 1996 kidnapping, sexual assault, and strangling of Richard Allen Montgomery, 21. Conahan maintained his innocence throughout his trial and subsequent appeals, arguing the evidence against him was circumstantial.
Conahan was the first person executed in Florida in 2024 and the 15th execution carried out in the state this year, accounting for more than half of the 24 total executions nationwide in 2024. The case has drawn renewed attention due to its connection to the "Hog Trail Murders", a series of killings in southwest Florida during the 1990s where at least six bodies were found in wooded areas, including Montgomery’s remains.
The Hog Trail Murders: A Decades-Long Investigation
The killings, which became known as the Hog Trail Murders due to the swampy, wooded locations where bodies were discovered, began in February 1994 when hunters found the first set of remains in Charlotte County, north of Fort Myers. Over the next three years, authorities recovered at least six additional bodies, most of which were severely decomposed. Investigators later linked Montgomery’s death to the same perpetrator, noting his body was found less than 24 hours after death in April 1996.
Prosecutors described Conahan’s crimes as a "dark fantasy" involving the targeting of young men, whom he allegedly lured with offers of money for nude bondage photos before assaulting and killing them. Richard Montgomery’s body was found tied to a tree, with rope burns and signs of strangulation; his genitalia had been removed. A surviving victim testified that Conahan had tied him naked to a tree, performed a sex act, and attempted to strangle him before abandoning the assault.
Conahan was never charged in the other deaths, though authorities previously identified him as a person of interest in the broader investigation. His attorneys argued that the case relied on circumstantial evidence, including testimony from the surviving victim, and that further DNA testing could prove his innocence.
Legal Proceedings and Appeals
Conahan was arrested in July 1996 and convicted in 1999 for Montgomery’s murder. During sentencing, he told the judge, "Just because I have been found guilty in a court of law doesn’t mean I am guilty." His legal team has since filed multiple appeals, citing concerns over evidentiary reliability and prosecutorial misconduct, but all were denied.
In the days leading up to his execution, Conahan’s attorneys filed last-minute appeals, arguing that new evidence—including potential DNA discrepancies—warranted further review. However, courts ruled that the claims did not meet the threshold for a stay. Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who leaves office in January 2025, has presided over 15 executions in 2024, the highest number in the U.S. this year.
Broader Context: Florida’s Death Penalty Landscape
Florida has long been a leader in executions among U.S. states, with 24 executions carried out nationwide in 2024—15 of them in Florida. The state’s lethal injection protocol has faced scrutiny, particularly regarding botched executions and legal challenges over the source of execution drugs. Critics argue that the state’s rush to execute undermines due process, while supporters contend that justice for victims’ families requires swift punishment.
Conahan’s case has been featured in true-crime documentaries, podcasts, and YouTube series over the past three decades, cementing its place in Florida’s darkest criminal annals. His execution marks the first in Florida in 2024 and the 15th this year, continuing a trend of high-volume capital punishment under DeSantis’ administration.