Florida makes history with its 14th execution this year, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to justice while liberal states continue coddling criminals and abandoning victims’ families.
Story Highlights
- Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, executed for the brutal 1996 murders of two women found in a rural pond.
- Florida sets a new record with 14 executions in 2025, surpassing the previous high of 8 in 2014.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis signed death warrants for two additional executions scheduled this year.
- Florida leads the nation in executions, followed by Texas, with five under conservative leadership.
Florida Delivers Justice After Nearly Three Decades
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 this year. Smithers offered no final words when given the opportunity, maintaining silence as justice was finally served after 26 years on death row.
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 Crime Details Reveal Monster’s True Nature
Court records expose the horrific nature of Smithers’ crimes, committed in May 1996 while he worked as a landscape maintenance worker on a rural Plant City property.
The Baptist deacon met both victims at separate times at a Tampa motel, luring them to the isolated 27-acre property. When the property owner discovered Smithers cleaning an axe and noticed blood in the carport, his weak excuse about trimming tree limbs fooled no one.
Deputies discovered drag marks leading to one of three ponds on the property, where they found both women’s bodies. Cowan and Roach had been severely beaten, strangled, and left to die in the water.
The brutal nature of these crimes demanded the ultimate punishment, which Florida finally delivered under strong conservative leadership that prioritizes victims over criminals.
Conservative Leadership Stands Firm Against Liberal Opposition
Governor Ron DeSantis continues demonstrating principled leadership by signing death warrants and ensuring justice prevails over endless appeals and delays. Florida’s record-setting pace reflects what happens when conservatives control state government and refuse to bow to soft-on-crime liberal pressure.
The state plans two additional executions before the year’s end, with Norman Mearle Grim Jr. scheduled for October 28 and Bryan Fredrick Jennings set for November 13.
Smithers’ defense attorneys desperately argued his age should exempt him from execution under constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
Both the Florida Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court rightfully rejected these last-ditch efforts, confirming that heinous crimes deserve ultimate consequences regardless of how long criminals manage to delay justice through frivolous appeals.
National Leadership in Capital Punishment Enforcement
Florida leads all states in executions this year, followed by Texas with five, showcasing how conservative governance produces real results in criminal justice.
Since the Supreme Court restored capital punishment in 1976, Florida’s previous annual record stood at eight executions in 2014. This year’s dramatic increase reflects Governor DeSantis’ commitment to clearing death row backlogs and delivering long-overdue justice to victims’ families.
The lethal injection process proceeded without incident, using Florida’s standard three-drug protocol consisting of a sedative, paralytic agent, and heart-stopping drug.
While 37 executions nationwide have occurred this year, Florida’s leadership demonstrates what happens when states prioritize public safety and victim rights over coddling murderers with endless taxpayer-funded appeals and comfortable prison accommodations.
