A man who was convicted of murdering a couple during a robbery in South Florida in 1990 has been executed, marking the 13th execution in Florida this year.
Victor Tony Jones, 64, was pronounced dead at 6:13 PM following a lethal injection at the Florida State Prison in Stark.
This execution extends Florida’s record for executions in a single year, with two more planned for next month.
As the procedure began, the curtains to the viewing area were drawn back. When asked if he had anything to say, Jones replied, “No, sir,” before the injection commenced.
After a few minutes, observers noted that his chest began to swell but then gradually stopped moving.
A guard called Jones’ name and shook him a few moments later, but there was no response.
His face appeared relaxed and pale, and a medical professional entered the room shortly after, declaring him dead.
According to officials, there were no complications during the execution.
Eileen Fisher, the daughter of the victims, expressed complex feelings about the execution. “I wish my parents could have died so peacefully,” she reflected. “They faced such violence; my father struggled for twenty minutes with a stab wound, while my mother died instantly.” She noted how her parents died violently, reminiscing about their legacy of helping others.
Jones had been employed at the shop owned by Matilda and Jacob Nestle in December 1990. Court records indicate that he attacked both victims—stabbing the wife in the neck and the husband in the chest. Despite his injuries, Jacob managed to retrieve a firearm and shot Jones once in the forehead.
After the incidents, police discovered Nestle’s money and belongings on Jones at the crime scene. After hospitalization, he was sentenced to death in 1993, found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and armed robbery.
Fisher attended the execution with her daughters and other family members, feeling uneasy as she had never witnessed anyone die before. Yet, she found solace in the idea of justice being served.
The Nestles had previously operated a medical supplies store in Miami before it became an arts and entertainment district. The site of their former business is now a community center.
“My parents would have been thrilled by that,” Fisher noted, reflecting on their community-oriented spirit.
This year, Florida’s execution count surpassed any other state, with Texas following behind at five. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976, the highest number of executions in Florida was eight in 2014.
Earlier this month, Jones appealed to the Florida Supreme Court, claiming intellectual disabilities and abuse faced during his time in a reform school. However, the court ruled that these issues had been previously addressed and dismissed his claims.
Just hours before the execution, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider another appeal without offering a reason.
So far this year, a total of 34 men have been executed in the U.S., with several more anticipated before the year’s end. Florida is set to carry out two more executions next month, as noted by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, is scheduled for execution on October 14, having been convicted in 1996 of killing two women. Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, is set to die on October 28 for the 1998 rape and murder of a neighbor. This execution will involve a new three-drug cocktail intended to sedate, paralyze, and ultimately stop the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
