Florida Executes Man Convicted of Killing Two Women in 1996
A 72-year-old man, Samuel Lee Smithers, was put to death on Tuesday evening via lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, marking the state’s record 14th execution this year. Smithers was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in 1999 for the killings of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach, whose bodies were found in a rural pond in 1996.
According to the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis, Smithers was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. following the execution. When asked if he had a final statement, Smithers replied, “No sir,” with no complications reported during the procedure. This execution extends Florida’s record for total executions in a single year, with two more executions scheduled to take place later this month and next.
Background of the Case
Smithers met Cowan and Roach on separate occasions in May 1996 at a Tampa motel, where he paid them for sex. At the time, he was working on landscape maintenance at a 27-acre property in rural Plant City, Florida, which included three ponds. On May 28, 1996, the property owner discovered Smithers cleaning an ax in the carport, which he claimed was for trimming tree limbs. However, the property owner noticed a pool of blood and reported it to law enforcement, leading to the discovery of the bodies of Cowan and Roach in one of the ponds.
The autopsies revealed that both women had been severely beaten, strangled, and left to die in the pond. The Florida Supreme Court denied an appeal from Smithers last week, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a late appeal without comment on Tuesday afternoon. Smithers’ attorneys had argued that his age should make him ineligible for execution under the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
Florida’s Execution Record
Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, with a total of 14 executions, surpassing the previous annual record of eight in 2014. The state plans to carry out two more executions later this month and next, with Norman Mearle Grim Jr. scheduled for execution on October 28 and Bryan Fredrick Jennings on November 13. According to the state Department of Corrections, Florida executions are carried out using a three-drug injection: a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart.
Prior to Tuesday, a total of 35 men had died by court-ordered execution in the U.S. this year. The execution of Smithers has sparked debate about the use of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving elderly individuals. For more information on this case, visit Here.
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