Florida is set to execute David Pittman, 63, by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 1990 murders of his estranged wife’s sister and her parents. The execution will take place at 6:00 pm (2200 GMT) at Florida State Prison.
Pittman was convicted in 1991 for killing Bonnie Knowles, 21, along with her parents, Clarence, 60, and Barbara, 50. He stabbed them to death before setting their home on fire.
His lawyers argued that Pittman is intellectually disabled, citing an IQ of 70, and requested a stay of execution, but courts rejected the appeal.
This marks Florida’s 12th execution in 2025, the highest in any US state, and the 31st nationwide. According to records, 30 executions have already been carried out across the country this year, the most since 2014. Florida leads with 11, while South Carolina and Texas have each conducted four.
Of the executions in 2025, 25 were performed by lethal injection, two by firing squad, and three by nitrogen hypoxia — a method condemned by United Nations experts as cruel and inhumane.
The United States remains divided over the death penalty. It has been abolished in 23 states, while three others — California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania — have moratoriums in place.
President Donald Trump has openly supported capital punishment, calling for its broader application for “the vilest crimes” on his first day in office.