Florida executes Vietnam veteran William Reaves

Florida carried out its 18th execution of 2026 on Tuesday, putting to death 77-year-old William Reaves at the Florida State Prison near Starke. Reaves, a Vietnam War veteran, was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1986 shooting death of Indian River County Deputy Richard Raczkowski.

The incident occurred in September 1986 when Deputy Raczkowski responded to a 911 call at a Vero Beach convenience store. During the interaction, a firearm fell from Reaves' clothing, leading to a struggle. Reaves eventually regained control of the weapon and shot the deputy four times.

Reaves was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. following a three-drug lethal injection. When asked if he had any last words, he replied, “No, I do not.”

This execution marks a significant milestone in Florida's recent use of the death penalty under Governor Ron DeSantis. Reaves is the eighth prisoner over the age of 70 executed in the state this year. Florida currently leads the United States in total executions for 2026, accounting for more than half of the nation's 32 executions to date.