A man from Florida, Richard Knight, who was found guilty of murdering his cousin’s girlfriend and her four-year-old daughter, is set to be executed next month. This comes after a death warrant was issued by Governor Ron DeSantis. Knight, 47, will face lethal injection at the Florida State Penitentiary in Starke on May 21, part of a number of death warrants signed by the governor.
Back in 2000, Knight was convicted for the murders of Odessia Stevens and her young daughter, Hanesia Mullins. Reports from WFLA indicate that Knight and Stevens had an argument on the evening of the grisly incident.
The court records describe the violence as “heinous, cruel and brutal.” Authorities detailed a shocking series of events: while the mother and daughter slept, Knight took a kitchen knife into the bedroom and violently attacked Stevens beside her child.
Stevens was stabbed 21 times, primarily in the neck, and also suffered additional wounds on her jaw, back, and chest. Evidence indicated she had been strangled and may have fought back, revealing a “bloody struggle.” Tragically, Knight then killed the child, inflicting multiple stab wounds to her chest, neck, and hands.
These graphic details were shared by prosecutors during the trial process, highlighting the severity of the crimes. In 2007, Knight was sentenced to death after a jury unanimously recommended the death penalty for first-degree murder.
Attempts by Knight’s legal team to appeal the conviction have not succeeded so far. They’ve filed several appeals that have all been turned down, as detailed in court documents.
Governor DeSantis has notably increased the number of death warrants he’s signed since early last year. Florida set a record in 2025 by executing 19 individuals, surpassing the previous high of eight executions in a single year. That record was set in both 1984 and 2014.
Florida has also executed more people in recent years than any other state, with Alabama, Texas, and South Carolina each executing five. In 2026, five prisoners have already been executed, and James Hitchcock, aged 70, is scheduled for execution on April 30 for the brutal assault and murder of his 13-year-old step-niece.
The most recent execution occurred on Tuesday, where Chadwick Willacy, 58, was put to death for setting his victim on fire, leading to the death of his elderly neighbor. Advocacy groups have begun to express concerns over fairness and due process in death penalty cases across Florida.
