A convicted murderer on death row, who brutally attacked his neighbor over three decades ago by setting her on fire, offered a subtle apology in his final words before receiving a lethal injection. Chadwick Scott Willacy, after breaking into Marlys Sather’s home and assaulting her, has been executed in Starke, Florida, after spending 36 years on death row. Despite being found guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, burglary, robbery, and arson, Willacy maintained his innocence until the end, expressing remorse to his family and friends and encouraging fellow inmates to remain resilient.
In a statement before his execution, Willacy expressed a hope for peace for the victim’s family while asserting the injustice of his situation. This marks Florida’s fifth execution in the current year, following the recent execution of Michael Lee King, who had committed a heinous crime against a young mother. Both men endured lengthy stays on death row, with Willacy’s case spanning almost 36 years since the tragic incident involving Ms. Sather in Palm Bay, Florida.
Reports reveal that during the attack, Willacy attempted to strangle Ms. Sather, then resorted to setting her on fire when his initial attempts failed. Autopsy results indicated that she succumbed to smoke inhalation, suggesting she was alive when the fire was ignited. Additionally, Willacy stole various belongings from Ms. Sather, including her car, and used her ATM card to withdraw money before being apprehended and sentenced to death following a unanimous jury decision.
Following a record number of executions in Florida the previous year, the current administration is set to proceed with another execution later this month. James Ernest Hitchcock, convicted of the brutal murder of his 13-year-old niece, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on April 30. The state’s Republican Governor, Ron DeSantis, has overseen a surge in executions, surpassing previous records set by his predecessors since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976.
