Florida Executes Man for 1990 Double Murder

A man on death row for a double murder committed in 1990 was executed in Florida on Tuesday. This marks the state’s 13th execution this year, which has now surpassed previous annual totals.

Victor Tony Jones, aged 64, was pronounced dead by lethal injection at 6:13 PM in a prison near Starke, as confirmed by Governor Ron DeSantis’ office. Reports indicate that Jones woke up early in the morning, around 4:30 AM, and had a meeting with a spiritual advisor, but did not receive any other visitors throughout the day. He reportedly chose fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet tea for his last meal.

When asked if he had a final statement, Jones simply replied, “No, Sir,” as stated by DeSantis’ spokesman, Alex Lanfranconi. The spokesman noted that the execution went smoothly without complications from the three-drug protocol used.

In 1993, a jury found Jones guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery. He had been convicted for the stabbing deaths of a couple, Matilda and Jacob Nestle, during a robbery attempt.

On a chilling note, Jacob Nestle, before dying from his wounds, had managed to shoot Jones in the forehead with a .22 caliber pistol after confronting him in their office.

This execution makes Florida the leading state in terms of executions this year, with more than any other state. Last month, 59-year-old Curtis Wyndham was executed, followed by 63-year-old David Pittman earlier this month. In total, Florida saw more executions than Texas and South Carolina, which are tied for second place with four each.

Nationwide, a total of 30 executions have been carried out this year, surpassing last year’s total of 25. The current pace is reminiscent of 2014, which had similarly high execution rates across the United States.