Execution Date Set for Florida Man Who Murdered Ex-Wife's Family and Burned Their Home

The state of Florida has scheduled the execution of David Pittman on September 17th. Pittman was sentenced to death for the heinous murder of his ex-wife's parents and younger sister, whom he stabbed in 1990 before setting their Polk County home ablaze. The execution order was signed last Friday by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. If carried out, it will mark the twelfth execution of the year in Florida, a record since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1976, as reported by Fox News and CNN.

Pittman, now 63, was going through a divorce from his then-wife, Marie, when he forcibly entered the home of his in-laws, Clarence and Barbara Knowles, in May 1990. He fatally stabbed them along with their youngest daughter, Bonnie Knowles, according to authorities. After the attack, he set the house on fire and fled in the young woman's car, which he later torched as well. A witness identified him fleeing from the burning vehicle, while a jail informant testified that Pittman confessed to the crimes.

In 1991, Pittman was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder, as well as arson and grand theft, leading to his death sentence.

Record-Breaking Executions Under DeSantis

If Pittman's execution proceeds, it will be the twelfth in Florida in 2025, significantly surpassing the previous record of eight executions in a year, set in 2014. Florida leads the nation with nine executions already carried out by July, while Texas and South Carolina each have four, placing them at a distant second. Overall, 28 individuals have been executed in the United States in 2025, exceeding recent years' numbers.

Pittman's case remains open as the Florida Supreme Court has a pending appeal hearing, and his defense is also expected to attempt to halt the execution in the U.S. Supreme Court, according to both news sources.