A Florida man convicted of fatally stabbing his cousin’s girlfriend and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter was put to demise Thursday night, the seventh individual executed by the state this yr.
Richard Knight, 47, was pronounced lifeless at 6:13 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Jail close to Starke.
Knight was convicted of first-degree homicide within the June 2002 killings of Odessia Stephens and the couple’s daughter, Hanessia Mullings.
When the demise chamber curtain went up on the scheduled 6 p.m. execution time, Knight was already strapped down with arms prolonged and an IV line in place.
Requested by the warden if he had a ultimate assertion, Knight stated, “I wish to give because of Yahweh, who’s probably the most excessive.”
The execution started instantly afterward. Knight closed his eyes and barely moved because the medication started flowing.
After about 10 minutes, a medic was known as in and Knight was declared lifeless.
Florida’s seventh execution of the yr adopted a document 19 executions within the state in 2025.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw extra executions in a single yr in 2025 than every other Florida governor for the reason that demise penalty was reinstated in 1976.
The earlier document was eight in 2014. And all instructed, a complete of 47 folks have been executed within the US in 2025.
In response to court docket data, Knight had been dwelling in Coral Springs, close to Fort Lauderdale, together with his cousin, his cousin’s girlfriend and their daughter in 2000.
Knight and Stephens incessantly argued about Knight dwelling there. One night whereas Knight’s cousin was at work, Stephens instructed Knight he must transfer out the following morning.
Knight grew to become offended and stabbed Stephens a number of instances after which attacked the younger woman, the data present.
Hans Mullings, who was Stephen’s boyfriend and the daddy of the 4-year-old, instructed reporters after witnessing Thursday’s execution that his household nonetheless grieves the loss.
“The ache by no means leaves,” Mullings stated. “We love them nonetheless, and we are able to’t cease loving them. We miss them loads.”
Stephen’s sisters and mom didn’t attend the execution, however supplied an announcement expressing closure.
“Phrases can not specific the profound sense of peace and finality we really feel at present,” it stated. “Whereas this doesn’t fill the empty house in our hearts, the closing of this lengthy, painful chapter permits us to completely deal with honoring the attractive lives of Odessia and Hanessia.”
“Richard, might our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grant you the mercy you failed to present our family members whom you so brutally took from us that evening,” the assertion added.
On Thursday, the US Supreme Court docket rejected Knight’s ultimate attraction with out remark.
That got here shortly after the deliberate execution of a Tennessee inmate, Tony Carruthers, was known as off.
Tennessee officers stated a group rapidly established Carruthers’ important IV line for a deadly injection however couldn’t discover a appropriate vein for a backup line required below the state’s execution protocol.
Tennessee Gov. Invoice Lee later introduced the state wouldn’t attempt once more for a minimum of a yr to execute Carruthers, who was convicted of killing three folks.
Additionally this week, an Arizona prisoner convicted of killing one other man by throwing gasoline at him and lighting a match was put to demise Wednesday.
Leroy Dean McGill, 63, acquired a deadly injection on the Arizona State Jail Complicated in Florence for the demise of Charles Perez, who was attacked at a north Phoenix condominium in 2002.
Florida, in the meantime, is getting ready to conduct one other execution on June 2. Andrew Richard Lukehart, 53, was convicted of fatally beating of his girlfriend’s toddler daughter in 1996.
All Florida executions are by deadly injection of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the center, officers say.
