Florida Man Executed for 1992 Murder

A 74-year-old man was executed in Florida on Thursday, becoming the oldest inmate to face such a penalty in the state’s modern history. Dusty Ray Spencer was found guilty of the stabbing death of his wife, Karen, back in 1992.

He was declared dead at 6:10 p.m. after being administered three lethal injections at the Florida State Penitentiary near Stark. In his final moments, Spencer expressed remorse. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry to your family. I place my spirit and soul in Your hands. Lord, I’m on my way. I’m on my way. Amen,” he stated.

After several minutes of struggling to breathe, he eventually ceased all movement. The warden attempted to rouse him but received no answer. Following a doctor’s assessment, his death was confirmed.

This execution marked the ninth in Florida for the year, shattering a 50-year record for executions in the state.

Dusty Ray Spencer had been convicted of first-degree murder, and his execution was notable as it surpassed past records. Previously, the oldest individuals executed in Florida were all 72 years old, according to records dating back to 1924. Notably, Samuel Lee Smithers, who murdered two women in 1996, was executed in October 2025, and R. Charlie Gifford, responsible for killing a state representative in 1950, faced the death penalty in February 1951.

Another inmate, Dennis Sochol, also 74, is scheduled for execution on July 14 after being convicted of a murder from a New Year’s Eve party incident in 1982.

In the realm of U.S. executions, the oldest person executed in modern times was Walter LeRoy Moody Jr., who was 83 when he faced execution in Alabama in 2018 for a mail bombing that resulted in the deaths of a federal judge and a civil rights lawyer.

This year, Florida executed more individuals than any other state—19 executions, setting a record since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Before this, the maximum number was eight executions in a year, recorded in 1984 and 2014.

Spencer’s criminal history began in December 1991, when he was arrested for strangling his wife and threatening to end her life. While in jail, he reportedly warned her of his intentions after his release. A month later, Spencer attacked Karen’s teenage son when he intervened during an argument, hitting him with an iron.

Soon after, the boy witnessed Spencer assaulting his mother with a brick outside their home. He even attempted to shoot Spencer in self-defense, but the rifle misfired. Unfortunately, by the time police arrived, they discovered Karen had been fatally stabbed multiple times.

Spencer was first sentenced to death in 1992 after being convicted of first-degree murder and several other charges. A couple of years later, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a new sentence due to errors in evaluating mitigating circumstances. He was sentenced to death again the following year, but that appeal was denied.

Just last week, the state Supreme Court rejected Spencer’s latest appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court did the same earlier on Thursday.