A 74-year-old man, Dusty Ray Spencer, was executed on Thursday, becoming the oldest person put to death in Florida’s modern history. Spencer was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. after receiving a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke for the 1992 stabbing death of his wife Karen.
During the execution, Spencer, lying strapped to a table, expressed remorse to the victim’s family before the drugs were administered. Following his statement, he stopped moving after a period of labored breathing. Medical staff confirmed his death minutes later.
Officials confirmed there were no complications during the execution. Notably, Spencer’s age at the time of execution surpassed previous records in Florida, where the oldest executed inmates were 72 years old. Another 74-year-old inmate, Dennis Sochor, is scheduled for execution in July for a separate crime.
Spencer’s arrest stemmed from a history of violence towards his wife, including threatening to kill her and physically assaulting her son. The fatal incident occurred when Spencer attacked Karen, leading to her son’s intervention and subsequent discovery of her body with multiple stab wounds.
Initially sentenced to death in 1992, Spencer faced legal challenges over the years, including concerns about his health and age at the time of execution. Despite appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final plea earlier on the execution day.
