Florida executes 74‑year‑old Dusty Ray Spencer, oldest inmate executed in state’s modern history

Dusty Ray Spencer, a 74‑year‑old former U.S. Marine, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke on Thursday at 6 p.m. EDT. He was convicted of the 1992 stabbing death of his wife Karen, a crime witnessed by her teenage son.

Spencer’s execution marks the oldest inmate put to death in Florida since modern record‑keeping began in 1924 and the ninth execution in the state this year, part of a record 19 executions in 2025. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant in May, and the state’s death‑row roster now includes another 74‑year‑old, Dennis Sochor, scheduled for execution on July 14.

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter to DeSantis urging a stay of execution and a commutation to life without parole, citing Spencer’s advanced age and health issues. The request was denied, and the execution proceeded without incident. The U.S. Supreme Court declined a final appeal.

Florida leads the nation in executions this year, accounting for 19 of the 47 total U.S. executions in 2025.