Florida Executes Inmate Convicted of Triple Murder

A man sentenced for murdering his girlfriend, her mother, and a man he claimed owed him money was executed on Thursday in Florida, marking the 11th execution in the state this year.

Curtis Wyndham, age 59, was pronounced dead at 6:17 PM following a lethal injection at a prison near Stark, as per official reports.

Wyndham had been on death row since November 7, 1992, after being found guilty of killing his girlfriend, Valerie Davis, her mother, Mary Rubin, and a man named Johnny Lee in the Orlando area.

When the execution began, Wyndham’s face was hidden under sheets as the curtains were drawn in the death chamber. He reportedly mumbled something about being on death row, though it was hard to catch exactly what he said.

As the lethal drug flowed into his system, he took deep breaths, and his legs appeared to swell before he lay still.

Kemen Hunter, sister to Valerie Davis, wore a t-shirt at a press conference post-execution that read, “Justice for her, healing for me.” She expressed that achieving closure had taken 33 years.

This execution made Wyndham the 30th person executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida has seen a surge in executions following the signing of a significant number of death warrants by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

The next execution in Florida is scheduled for September 17, targeting 63-year-old David Joseph Pittman.

On the murder day, Wyndham’s acquaintance informed him that Johnny Lee had won some money at the racetrack, allegedly owing Wyndham $2,000. Wyndham then ominously told his friend, “You’re going to read about me,” indicating plans to kill Lee.

Wyndham later purchased a .38 caliber revolver and ammunition from Walmart. He found Lee and shot him twice from his vehicle, then approached and fired twice more at close range.

Subsequently, he went to Davis’ apartment and, without provocation, fatally shot her in front of a witness. He also randomly shot another man and ultimately confronted Davis’ mother, shooting her twice at a stop sign.

Wyndham received a death sentence for the murders, in addition to a 22-year sentence for attempted murder. Notably, Valerie Davis was the mother of Wyndham’s child, who advocated against the execution.

Wyndham’s face was shown to be obscured by sheets when the curtains opened during his execution. Although he made a remark about being on death row, it was difficult to make out his words.

His daughter, Curticia Windham, stated in an anti-death penalty group release that forgiveness is a process, noting that she took 33 years to forgive her father. The group recently delivered over 5,000 signed petitions urging intervention from the governor’s office.

Throughout the years, Wyndham’s lawyer submitted numerous appeals, arguing that his mental health issues weren’t adequately represented in court. However, the Florida Supreme Court found that the prosecution had valid evidence showing Wyndham’s drug-dealing and that the women he killed were informants.

His final appeal was turned down by the U.S. Supreme Court just days before his execution.

Since the death penalty was reinstated in the U.S. in 1976, Florida’s highest number of executions in a single year was eight, recorded in 2014. This year, Florida has executed more inmates than any other state, with Texas and South Carolina following.

The last execution prior to this one took place on August 19, involving 67-year-old Kayle Bates, who was executed for the murder of a woman related to her insurance fraud.

Florida’s method of execution involves a three-drug protocol, including sedatives, paralytics, and heart-stopping agents, as indicated by the state’s Department of Corrections.