A convicted murderer who fatally stabbed a man almost 40 years ago expressed remorse today before being executed. Ronald Palmer Heath, aged 64, was pronounced dead after receiving a lethal three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. In his final statement, Heath apologized, stating, “I’m sorry. That’s all I can say. Thank you.”
This marked Florida’s first execution in 2026, following 19 executions the previous year. Unlike David Joseph Pittman, who denied his crimes until the end, Heath showed regret as the lethal drugs were administered through an IV in his arm.
Heath was found guilty of first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, and other offenses in the 1989 killing of Michael Sheridan. The incident occurred after Heath and his brother, Kenneth Heath, met Sheridan at a Gainesville bar and later conspired to rob him. The brothers took Sheridan to a secluded area, where Kenneth shot him and Ronald proceeded to stab and kick him. The brothers then disposed of Sheridan’s body and used his credit cards for purchases.
Ronald Heath was apprehended weeks later in Georgia after being linked to the stolen credit cards. Despite Kenneth Heath also being charged with murder, he received a life sentence under a plea deal. Several of the victims’ family members witnessed Ronald Heath’s execution, bringing closure after more than three decades of waiting.
Heath had a prior conviction for killing another teenager when he was 16 and served a 10-year sentence. Additionally, he was implicated in the death of Tony Hammett, although the case never went to trial.
Following the execution, Thomas Sheridan, Michael’s brother, stated that the families of the victims had been awaiting this day for over 30 years. The Florida Supreme Court rejected appeals by Ronald Heath, who claimed mismanagement of death penalty protocols, flaws in the clemency process, developmental issues due to his juvenile incarceration, and lack of unanimous jury recommendation for the death penalty.
