Edward Zakrzewski, a man sentenced to death for the brutal 1994 murders of his wife Sylvia and their two children, Edward, 7, and Anna, 5, has been executed in Florida. He became the ninth individual to be executed in the state this year, breaking the previous record for executions in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Zakrzewski was pronounced dead following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Starke on Thursday evening.
Florida had previously reached a peak of eight executions in 2014, a number that has since been surpassed this year following an execution in mid-July and now Zakrzewski’s execution. He was arrested for the murders committed in June 1994 in Okaloosa County after his wife sought a divorce. Testimony during the trial revealed that Zakrzewski threatened to kill his family rather than allow them to separate. The horrific details include him attacking Sylvia with a crowbar and strangling her, while both children were killed with a machete.
In his final moments, Zakrzewski expressed gratitude to the state for his execution, stating, “I have no complaint,” before quoting a poem. Fourteen witnesses, including media and prison personnel, observed the execution. Florida currently leads the nation in executions this year, surpassing Texas and South Carolina, both of which have conducted four executions each.
Looking ahead, Florida has scheduled two additional executions for August: Kayle Bates, convicted of a 1982 murder, and Curtis Windom, linked to three Orlando-area killings in 1992, both awaiting lethal injections under death warrants signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
While Zakrzewski’s case drew attention, some advocates noted concerns surrounding the fairness of his sentencing, pointing to the split jury decision that recommended the death penalty and his status as a military veteran. Under current law, a death penalty sentence cannot be issued without a unanimous jury recommendation.
As of now, 26 men have faced execution in the US this year, with more scheduled in various states, showcasing a resurgent pace in capital punishment cases across the country. Florida employs a three-drug protocol for lethal injections, comprising a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a drug to halt heart function.