Susan Morris

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) — 

Susan Morris died 25 years ago in January. The Pensacola woman was raped and killed by 46-year-old Eric Branch in 1993.

Governor Rick Scott signed Branch's death warrant on Friday.

On Monday, the state Supreme Court denied his death sentence appeal.

Susan Morris was a TV production student who was killed on campus in 1993.

More than 25 years after Morris's death, those connected to the university rest a little easier now.

The execution of her killer, 46-year-old Eric Branch, is now set for February 22, 2018.

"No one will ever bring our Susan Morris back, but someone, her murderer, will pay the price," said UWF President Emeritus Judy Bense.

"Most of the faculty have gone on so I sent them all notices and they were really glad to get this closure," added UWF President Martha Saunders.

Bense was an Assistant Professor at the University of West Florida when the deadly attack happened.

"Safety, parking lots, lights all of those things came right up to the front of our minds," said Bense.

UWF President Martha Saunders was also there when Morris was murdered.

Since her murder the "just two it" campaign was launched.

"The whole point was if your using facilities, especially after dark, bring someone with you," said Saunders.

Alarm boxes were placed across campus.

An escort service and a scholarship were also started in Susan Morris's memory.

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go, some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same, that's the truth," mentioned Bense.

The president said each year the university holds a vigil called "Take back the night" to never forget what happened to a student many people in our area remember.

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