Florida executes William Frances Silvia for 2006 murders

Florida executed 61-year-old William Frances Silvia on Tuesday, marking the state’s 13th execution of the year. The execution, carried out via lethal injection at Florida State Prison, follows an aggressive push for capital punishment during Governor Ron DeSantis’s term.

Silvia was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for a 2006 shooting that killed his estranged wife, Patricia Silvia, and wounded his mother-in-law, Betty Woodard. The attack occurred during an outdoor cookout at the mother-in-law's home in the Orlando area.

Moments before his death, Silvia stated, “I’m sorry all this happened. It was an accident. I never meant to hurt her.”

Florida has accounted for more than half of the 23 executions conducted in the United States so far this year. The state has two additional executions scheduled for September.