Donald Dillbeck executed: On Thursday, Donald Dillbeck, 59, was executed by lethal injection in Florida for the carjacking and murder of Faye Lamb Vann more than three decades ago. Vann was fatally stabbed by Dillbeck in a Tallahassee mall parking lot.
Dillbeck had previously escaped from a work-release program where he was serving a life sentence for killing Lee County Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall in 1979 and was 11 years into his sentence when he committed the carjacking and murder of Vann.
Dillbeck’s attorneys had requested the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his execution, but their request was declined. This was Florida’s 100th execution since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
Dillbeck was serving a life sentence for killing Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall when he escaped from a work-release program in Gadsden County and fled to Florida, where he killed Vann.
Dillbeck demanded a ride from Vann in the mall parking lot and when she tried to drive off, he stabbed her more than 20 times and slit her throat.
He crashed her car shortly after and was captured running from the scene. On Thursday, Dillbeck was put to death by lethal injection.
Donald Dillbeck Executed: Early Hour
On the day of his execution, Dillbeck went through his normal routine, which included visiting with his spiritual adviser. He was given his last meal at 9:45 a.m., which consisted of fried shrimp, mushrooms, onion rings, butter pecan ice cream, pecan pie, and a chocolate bar.
At the time of his execution, Dillbeck’s last words were “I know I hurt people when I was young. I really messed up.” He also criticized Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, stating that he had “taken a lot from a lot of people” and “put his foot on our necks.” The execution began at 6:02 p.m. and Dillbeck was declared dead roughly 10 minutes later.
Vann’s family members were among those who witnessed the execution from inside the prison’s execution viewing room.
Donald Dillbeck Executed: Aftermath
After the execution, Vann’s children, Tony and Laura, released a statement thanking DeSantis for carrying out the execution, stating that it had given them “some closure.” Outside the Raiford prison, about 60 attendees gathered for a vigil and to pray.
This was the first execution in Florida in nearly four years and the third under Gov. Ron DeSantis. The previous governor, U.S. Republican Sen. Rick Scott, oversaw 28 executions during his time in office.
Since the death penalty was reinstated, Florida has been one of the most active states in carrying out executions.
Democratic Gov. Bob Graham oversaw 16 executions between 1979 and 1987, Martinez oversaw nine in his one term in office, Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles oversaw 18, and 21 prisoners were executed under Republican Gov. Jeb Bush. Gov. Charlie Crist oversaw five executions during his single term in office.
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