Death row killer Loran Cole 'violently convulsed while cheeks puffed out' during Florida execution

A death row inmate violently convulsed as he took five minutes to die during his execution in Florida .

Loran Cole was convicted of the murder of a college freshman and the sexual assault of the victim's sister during a camping trip in a national forest three decades ago. The 57-year-old received a lethal injection and was pronounced dead at 6.15pm at Florida State Prison.

When asked if he had any last words , his brief response was "no, sir." The execution procedure began around 6pm, with Cole momentarily glancing at a witness in the front row. Within minutes, his breathing became labored, his cheeks puffed out, and his body convulsed momentarily.

• Death row serial killer uncovered as sick stack of pics revealed after teen’s gruesome strangulation

• Death row inmate had banquet of pizza and M&Ms with son before execution for rape and murder horror

Five minutes after receiving the lethal injection, efforts by the warden to rouse Cole with a sharp signal and a loud call of his name were met with no reaction. He soon stopped breathing and his death was verified.

Cole, with his cohort William Paul, initially gained the trust of the two college campers in Ocala National Forest. After socializing at a campfire, they feigned taking the siblings to see a pond but instead violently attacked and robbed them once away from the safety of the campsite.

An 18-year-old Florida State University student suffered a brutal attack and had his throat slit before being left for dead in the woods. His sister, a 21 year old senior at Eckerd College, was kidnapped, restrained, and attacked by Cole at the campsite, according to court documents.

The young woman was tied to a tree overnight and endured further assault the following day. In a desperate fight for survival, she managed to break free and secured assistance from a good Samaritan.

Her brother was eventually found deceased, facedown, by law enforcement, as indicated in court records. Both perpetrators, Paul and Cole were convicted of first-degree murder; Paul received a life sentence.

• Electric chair tested and firing squad prepared for execution of South Carolina death row prisoner

• Death row inmate pleas for commute of sentence as DNA evidence was 'contaminated' during arrest

The victim's parents, who did not attend the execution, issued a statement through correction officials after their son tragically lost his life while honoring their daughter, who overcame her ordeal to become a wife, teacher, and professor.

Their heartfelt statement declared: "Though invisible to others, our daughter bears internal scars that will never go away. She battled years of fear, pain and sorrow. She is our hero. We are void of feelings and empathy for Mr. Cole. He placed himself into this arena. He does not deserve mercy."