The State of Florida has executed David Pittman, 63, for the brutal 1990 murders of three members of his estranged wife’s family — a crime that shocked the community and has lingered in the state’s legal history for over three decades.
Pittman was executed by lethal injection at 6:12 p.m. local time (2212 GMT) on Wednesday at Florida State Prison. With his death, Florida has now recorded 12 executions in 2025, the highest among all U.S. states this year. Nationally, 31 executions have been conducted so far, marking the most in a single year since 2014.
The convicted killer was sentenced to death in 1991 for fatally stabbing 21-year-old Bonnie Knowles, the sister of his estranged wife, along with her parents, Clarence Knowles, 60, and Barbara Knowles, 50. Following the killings, he set the family’s home ablaze in an attempt to cover up the crime.
His lawyers argued that Pittman was intellectually disabled, citing an IQ score of 70, and sought a stay of execution. However, their appeals were denied at both the state and federal levels.
Statistics reveal that of the 31 executions carried out in the U.S. this year, 26 were by lethal injection, three by nitrogen hypoxia, a controversial method denounced by the United Nations as inhumane, and two by firing squad.
While 23 states have abolished the death penalty and three others maintain moratoriums, Florida continues to uphold it. President Donald Trump has also reaffirmed his support for capital punishment, calling for its expansion “for the vilest crimes.”
Also Read:
Nigeria Secures $6M in U.S. Arms Deal Case Victory
For more updates, visit LegalLinkz Blog and join the conversation with our growing community on WhatsApp
