The death of 86-year-old former State Attorney Joseph P. D’Alessandro was announced Tuesday by 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Amira D. Fox.

The posting on Facebook confirmed he died overnight.

The then 30-year-old Dalessandro was appointed by former Governor Claude Roy Kirk, Jr. as the first state attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit when it was formed in 1969.

He served as State Attorney for 33 years until 2003.

D’Alessandro was a native Floridian, born and raised in Fort Myers. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Journalism in 1961 and got his law degree from Stetson College in 1964.

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