Family of slain Florida woman hopes execution of convicted killer Dennis Socher brings long-awaited closure

A convicted Florida killer is just hours away from being executed, and his victim's family spoke with CBS News Miami ahead of his death sentence being carried out to seek closure.

They want to know where her body is so they can lay her to rest.

"There will be justice and closure for Patty and what happened to her. That's what we're getting tomorrow," Marilyn Gifford, Patty's sister, said.

On Tuesday, convicted killer Dennis Sochor is scheduled to be executed.

"All the teenage girls in Florida should sleep a little safer after tomorrow night," Marilyn Gifford said. "He'll never get out."

Patty Gifford and Sochor were both at a New Year's Eve party in 1982, though they were not together.

A haunting photograph from that night shows Patty Gifford smiling while Sochor stands just behind her.

The party was held at the Banana Boat on State Road 84, a building that now serves as a police union hall.

Investigators say Patty Gifford later ended up in Sochor's car, where she was sexually assaulted and strangled.

Delta Mitchum, one of Patty Gifford's friends, was with her that night.

"She had everything to live for. Everything to live for," Mitchum said. "She was kind. She would not have left. She would not have left with two strangers. She had plans for that evening. She would not have left me."

The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood, Sochor's spiritual adviser, said he recently encouraged Sochor to reveal where he left Patty Gifford's body.

"We also spent time last week trying to encourage him to think about where this body is," Hood said.

Hood said he believes Sochor is genuinely remorseful. The two also discussed a letter Sochor was writing to the Gifford family.

"His remorse has been genuine, but I don't know how he's going to choose to express that remorse," Hood said. "We've talked a little bit about last words."

The Gifford family, however, remains unconvinced.

"The family does not believe he's remorseful," Marilyn Gifford said.

For the family, the execution will not end the pain.

"It's unfinished," Marilyn Gifford said. "Where is she? What did he do to her? Where did he leave her? It just matters. It matters so much."

More than four decades later, the family says they simply want to recover Patty Gifford's remains, give her a proper burial and move forward without thinking about Sochor again.

"I expect to sleep like a baby tomorrow night for the first time in decades," Marilyn Gifford said.

The Gifford family said they family planned to attend Sochor's execution, which was scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday.

As of Monday, the family said it had not received the letter Sochor was reportedly writing.

Despite the execution, the family's hope remains the same – that Patty Gifford's remains will one day be found so she can be laid to rest.

They continue to urge anyone with information about her disappearance to come forward.