Florida shattered execution records with its 14th death penalty carried out this year, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to justice under Governor DeSantis while liberal states coddle violent criminals.
Story Snapshot
- Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, executed for the brutal 1996 murders of two women.
- Florida sets a new annual execution record with 14 carried out in 2025.
- Governor DeSantis has signed warrants for two additional executions this year.
- State leads nation in executions, demonstrating a strong law-and-order stance.
Florida Leads Nation in Capital Justice
Samuel Lee Smithers met his fate Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison, executed by lethal injection for the savage 1996 murders of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach.
The 72-year-old killer was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m., marking Florida’s record-breaking 14th execution of 2025.
This surpasses the state’s previous high of eight executions in 2014, demonstrating Florida’s commitment to swift justice under Republican leadership. Texas follows with only five executions this year.
A man convicted of killing two women whose bodies were found in a rural pond in 1996 was put to death Tuesday evening in a record 14th execution this year in Florida. https://t.co/dgQy9fvFfm
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 15, 2025
Brutal Crimes Demanded Ultimate Justice
Court records reveal Smithers’ heinous acts in May 1996, when he lured both victims to a Tampa motel under the guise of solicitation.
Working as a landscaper on rural Plant City property, Smithers brutally beat and strangled both women before dumping their bodies in a pond.
A property owner discovered him cleaning an ax with blood nearby, leading to the grisly discovery. The victims suffered severe beatings and strangulation before being left to die.
Liberal Appeal Tactics Fail Against Justice
Defense attorneys desperately argued Smithers’ advanced age should exempt him from execution, claiming cruel and unusual punishment under liberal interpretations of the Constitution.
Both the Florida and the U.S. Supreme Courts rightfully rejected these baseless appeals, affirming that age doesn’t absolve heinous murderers from facing consequences.
This decisive action prevents the judicial system from being manipulated by bleeding-heart attorneys seeking to protect violent criminals through technicalities.
DeSantis Administration Delivers on Law and Order
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed death warrants for two additional executions scheduled through November, bringing Florida’s 2025 total to a planned 16 executions.
Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, faces execution on October 28 for raping and murdering his neighbor in 1998. Bryan Fredrick Jennings, 66, is scheduled for execution on November 13 execution for the 1979 rape and murder of a six-year-old girl.
This aggressive approach to capital punishment demonstrates Florida’s unwavering commitment to protecting law-abiding citizens.
