Florida man's execution date set for killing 2, including small child

A Florida antheral is scheduled for execution adjacent period for his condemnation successful the sidesplitting of his cousin's woman and her 4-year-old girl nether a decease warrant signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis connected Wednesday.

Richard Knight, 47, is acceptable to dice by lethal injection astatine Florida State Prison successful Starke connected May 21, arsenic portion of a bid of decease warrants signed by the governor.

Knight was convicted successful the 2000 murders of Odessia Stephens and her young daughter, Hanessia Mullings, according to WFLA. Prosecutors said Knight and Stephens were progressive successful an statement the nighttime of the crime.

Authorities described the killings successful tribunal records arsenic "heinous, atrocious and cruel," the outlet reported.

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Richard Knight, 47, is acceptable to dice by lethal injection astatine Florida State Prison successful Starke connected May 21. (Florida Department of Corrections)

Stephens and her girl had gone to furniture erstwhile Knight grabbed knives from the kitchen, walked into their chamber and attacked the pistillate arsenic her girl laic adjacent to her.

Investigators said Knight stabbed Stephens 21 times, with astir of the injuries to her neck. She besides sustained stab wounds to her chin, backmost and chest.

Stephens besides suffered injuries indicating that she had been strangled and attempted to combat back, arsenic investigators said images from the country showed a "bloody struggle."

Knight past strangled and stabbed the kid aggregate times, causing stab wounds to her precocious chest, cervix and hand.

The details were presented by prosecutors during proceedings proceedings, according to tribunal records.

Richard Knight was convicted successful the 2000 murders of Odessia Stephens and her daughter, Hanessia Mullings. (AP)

A justice sentenced Knight to decease successful 2007 aft a assemblage unanimously recommended the decease condemnation for his first-degree execution convictions.

Efforts by Knight's attorneys to entreaty the lawsuit person frankincense acold been unsuccessful. Court records amusement his ineligible squad has challenged the condemnation and condemnation successful aggregate appeals, which person been denied to date.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to Knight's ineligible squad for comment.

DeSantis continues to accelerate the fig of decease warrants signed since the commencement of past year.

In 2025, 19 radical were enactment to decease successful Florida, mounting a grounds for the astir executions successful 1 twelvemonth successful the Sunshine State. Before past year, Florida's grounds for executions successful a twelvemonth since the decease punishment was restored successful 1976 was 8 successful 1984 and 2014.

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Florida has already executed 5 radical successful 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

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Advocacy groups, including the Equal Justice Initiative, person raised concerns astir fairness and owed process successful decease punishment cases.

Florida besides executed much radical past twelvemonth than immoderate different state, with Alabama, Texas and South Carolina tied for the second-most with 5 each. Across the U.S., 47 radical were executed successful 2025.

This year, Florida has already executed 5 people, and different is scheduled for April 30, erstwhile James Hitchcock, 70, is acceptable to beryllium enactment to decease for the rape and execution of his 13-year-old step-niece.

The past execution was carried retired connected Tuesday, erstwhile Chadwick Willacy, 58, was enactment to decease for murdering his aged neighbour successful Palm Bay by mounting them connected fire.