Donald Dillbeck executed in Florida for two murders

• Donal Dillbeck was executed in Florida.
• He was the first inmate executed in three years.
• Dillbeck was sentenced to death in 1994.

After three years without executions, Florida once again put an inmate to death by lethal injection. According to initial reports, Donald Dillbeck died on Thursday after being on death row since 1994. He was convicted of two homicides and it was reported that he was calm before he died.

Dillbeck’s lawyer tried to prevent the execution from happening, citing his mental health, although the argument did not work. This execution is the third to occur during Governor Ron DeSantis’ term. His predecessor, Rick Scott, oversaw 28 executions.

DONALD DILBECK EXECUTED IN FLORIDA

On Thursday, the state of Florida executed Donald Dillbeck, 59, who had been convicted of two first-degree murders, the first committed with a gun in 1979, when he was fifteen, and the other was a stabbing in 1990, according to EFE. One of the murders reportedly occurred during an attempted carjacking.

Donald Dillbeck, 59, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. after receiving a lethal injection at a Florida state prison, the governor’s office said, according to The Associated Press. Dillbeck’s death had been postponed for years and the convict’s attorney requested a review of the case.

What was Dillbeck accused of?

Dillbeck was sentenced to death in 1994 for the murder of Faye Vann, a 44-year-old woman, who resisted the theft of her car in a garage in Tallahassee, Florida. Dillbeck stabbed her to death during the struggle.

He had previously escaped from a work release program at a prison where he was serving a life sentence for the 1979 shooting murder of 31-year-old police officer Dwight Lynn Hall, the EFE agency reported. Before killing the police officer, Dillbeck was running from authorities over another stabbing.

How was his last day?

Dillbeck spent his last day in prison «calm» and «followed his normal routine,» corrections officials said. For his last meal at 9:45 local time, he ate a last meal of fried shrimp, mushrooms, onion rings, ice cream and a chocolate and walnut cake, national media reported.

The execution began at 6:02 p.m., and Dillbeck closed his eyes soon after. He breathed deeply for a few minutes as his body trembled. At 6:07 pm, his mouth was open and he appeared to stop breathing. Asked if he had any last words, Dillbeck said: «I know I hurt people when I was young. I really messed it up,» the AP said.

Did Dillbeck have mental problems?

Dillbeck’s lawyer, who claimed that he had a neural disorder because his mother drank alcohol in large quantities when she was pregnant with him, had unsuccessfully appealed to the Florida Supreme Court and then to the US Supreme Court for the execution to be suspended.

Among the details that came to light, they highlight that earlier this month, the Florida Supreme Court rejected appeals that claimed that Dillbeck should not be executed because he suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome and it was cruel and unusual to keep him on death row for more than 30 years before his death warrant was signed, reported AP.

What did Faye Vann’s sons say?

Faye Vann’s children, Tony and Laura, released a statement after the execution: “11,932 days ago, Donald Dillbeck brutally killed our mother. He stole years of memories of her, and it has been very painful since then,” the AP detailed. Likewise, the victim’s children congratulated DeSantis for not accepting Dillbeck’s request for lenience.

The Catholic bishops of Florida have organized vigils and meetings throughout the state to pray for ,»Dillbeck, his victims and their families and for our society that continues to impose violence in exchange for violence,» revealed EFE.