Florida’s death row inmate used his last words to attack Gov. Ron DeSantis claiming that the Republican leader had “done a lot worse than him.”
Donald Dillbeck, 59 was executed at Florida State Prison’s death chamber on Thursday night. He admitted that he had hurt people when “he was young”, but saved his last comment to criticize DeSantis.
“I am aware that I have hurt people in my youth. I was a really bad person. Ron DeSantis is a much worse person than I am. He has taken a lot away from many people. I speak on behalf of all people, men, and women.” According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Dillbeck stated that he had “put his foot on our necks”.
Officials from the Florida Department of Corrections responded to the comment and began administering three drugs to him that sedated him, paralyzed him, and then stopped his heart.
The Tallahassee Democrat reported that he was declared dead at 6:13 p.m. just 11 minutes after the process began.
Dillbeck was convicted of the murder of two people. He was sentenced to death 32 years ago after the fatal stabbing of Faye Lamb Vann in 1990. Her family members were also present in the witness gallery.
After Dillbeck’s death, they did not speak with reporters.
Michelle Glady, a prison system spokeswoman, released a statement in which Vann’s children Tony Vann and Laura Vann stated that Dillbeck had “robbed” them from time with their mother and that his passing brought “some closure.”
According to the report, they wrote that Donald Dillbeck had brutally murdered our mother 11,932 days earlier. It was a terrible loss of many years of memories and has been extremely painful ever since. But, we have some closure.
Dillbeck’s criminal record includes fatally shooting a Lee County deputy at 15 years old. He was sentenced to life for the murder, but escaped custody and was later killed again.
Dwight Lynn Hall was 31, then a teenager was killed by Dillbeck in 1979 during a scuffle. Hall was attempting to tackle Dillbeck. Dillbeck grabbed Hall’s gun and shot him dead, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
Dillbeck was currently on the run from a carjacking charge.
Dillbeck was in Gadsden County serving a life sentence for the murder. He fled from authorities to Tallahassee in 1990. He attempted to hijack Vann’s vehicle in a shopping mall, and he was then stabbed to his death.
Officials said Dillbeck’s last meal consisted of fried shrimp, onions rings, chocolate, pecan pie, and chocolate.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to block Dillbeck’s execution on Wednesday.
