01 August 2025 :
July 31, 2025 - Florida. Edward Zakrzewski, 60, White, was executed on July 31st.. He was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke.
Zakrzewski was sentenced to die in 1996 after he pled guilty for the June 9, 1994, killings of his 34-year-old wife Sylvia and their children Edward, 7, and Anna, 5. Trial testimony showed he carried out the killings at their home after his wife sought a divorce, and he had told others he would kill his family rather than allow that to happen.
On Thursday morning, Zakrzewski awoke at 5:15 a.m. and later in the day had a meal that included fried pork chops, root beer and ice cream, state Department of Corrections spokesman Paul Walker said. He said Zakrzewski had one visitor and “remained compliant” as his execution time neared.
Florida uses a three-drug cocktail for its lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart.
Before Thursday’s execution, opponents pointed to Zakrzewski’s military service as an Air Force veteran and the fact that a jury voted 7-5 to recommend his execution, barely a majority of the panel. They noted that under current state law, he could not have received the death penalty with a split jury vote.
Florida this year has carried out more executions than any other state, while Texas and South Carolina are tied for second with four each. A 10th execution is scheduled in Florida on Aug. 19 and an 11th on Aug. 28 under death warrants signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. After the return of the U.S. death penalty in 1976, Florida carried out a high of eight executions in 2014, a one-year total only matched this year with a mid-July execution and now exceeded. Only Texas (595) and Oklahoma (129) have executed more inmates since 1977.
Zakrsezski becomes the 9th inmate to be put to death this year in Florida and the 115th overall since the state resumed capital punishment in 1979.
Zakrzewski becomes the 27th inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1,634th overall since the nation resumed executions in 1977.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/31/us/florida-execution
