On Tuesday, Florida plans to execute William Frances Silvia, a 61-year-old man sentenced for the murder of his wife and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law back in 2006. This will mark the state's 13th execution of the year.
The lethal injection is slated for 6:00 p.m. local time at Florida State Prison in Raiford, located about 25 miles west of Jacksonville, as reported by NBC News.
At the time of writing, an appeal and a request for a stay of execution remain pending before the United States Supreme Court.
The Crime Leading to Death Row
The events unfolded on the night of September 22, 2006, in Winter Park, Seminole County. William Frances Silvia, who was homeless and jobless, purchased a 12-gauge Mossberg Persuader shotgun and ammunition earlier that day. Surveillance footage captured him calmly selecting the weapon.
That evening, he arrived at his estranged wife's parent's home, where Patricia had been living since their separation two months earlier. After a failed attempt at reconciliation, Patricia's 15-year-old daughter reportedly heard him threaten her mother, saying she would "regret it," according to court records cited by Florida Today.
Silvia retrieved the shotgun from his vehicle, shooting his mother-in-law, Betty Woodard, in the face at point-blank range, resulting in the loss of her left eye and part of her nose. He then fatally shot Patricia in the head in front of family members, including her young children.
He was arrested the following day and confessed to the police, claiming he shot his wife because she "spent all his money and started seeing her ex-husband."
The jury recommended the death penalty with an 11-1 vote, and Silvia was initially sentenced in 2008.
A Complex Legal Journey
Silvia's legal proceedings have been marked by procedural shifts. In 2012, he voluntarily waived his appeal rights and dismissed his attorneys, making him eligible for an immediate execution order.
In 2017, his sentence was overturned due to the U.S. Supreme Court's Hurst v. Florida ruling, which found the state's system unconstitutional for allowing a judge rather than a jury to determine the facts necessary for imposing the death penalty.
Florida's Supreme Court reinstated his sentence in 2018. In a recent appeal, Silvia's attorneys argued that the state agency representing death row inmates could not adequately assist him while simultaneously representing another prisoner. This argument was rejected by Florida's Supreme Court on August 12.
Organizations like Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops have urged Governor Ron DeSantis to commute his sentence to life imprisonment, citing Silvia's wheelchair-bound status and severe health issues.
Florida's Execution Policy Under Scrutiny
Silvia's execution aligns with Governor DeSantis's aggressive death penalty enforcement during his latest term, set to conclude in January 2027. Florida has been responsible for more than half of the 22 executions conducted nationwide so far in 2026.
In 2025, Florida executed 19 individuals, a record since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
On July 28, Florida executed two inmates in one day—James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone—making it the first state to do so in nearly a decade. DeSantis has consistently defended the rapid pace of executions, often stating, "Some of these crimes were committed in the '80s. Delayed justice is denied justice."
On August 13, Cuban national Carlos Cuesta-Rodríguez, 70, was executed in Oklahoma for the 2003 murder of his partner, Olimpia Fisher, on a day when three states administered capital punishment, an occurrence not seen since January 2010.
Upcoming Executions in September
Following Silvia's execution, Florida has two more scheduled for the upcoming month. Harold Gene Lucas, 74, is set to be executed on September 1 for the murder of a 16-year-old girl who rejected his advances.
Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., 72, known as the "Hog Trail Killer," is scheduled for execution on September 10 for the 1996 kidnapping and murder of Richard Alan Montgomery. Authorities link him to similar murders in Southwest Florida during the same decade.
If Silvia's execution proceeds, Governor DeSantis will have authorized 31 executions over the past two years, compared to nine during his previous six years in office.
Frequently Asked Questions About Florida's Death Penalty
Why is William Frances Silvia on death row?
William Frances Silvia was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife and the attempted murder of his mother-in-law in 2006.
What legal challenges has Silvia faced?
Silvia's legal proceedings included a 2017 sentence overturn due to a Supreme Court ruling, and a recent appeal arguing inadequate representation, which was rejected.
How has Governor DeSantis influenced Florida's execution rate?
Under Governor DeSantis, Florida has seen a significant increase in executions, with 31 authorized in the last two years compared to nine in his previous six years in office.