A convicted murderer who had been on death row for over three decades expressed a somewhat veiled apology in his final words before receiving a lethal injection. Chadwick Scott Willacy was executed for the brutal killing of Marlys Sather, whom he attacked by setting her on fire during a burglary at her home. Willacy, who had committed acts of burglary, robbery, and arson in addition to murder, spent 36 years awaiting execution in Starke, Florida.
Despite apologizing to his family and friends and encouraging his fellow inmates on death row to remain resilient, Willacy maintained his innocence, vehemently denying his involvement in Sather’s death. Just before the execution, Willacy addressed the victim’s family, expressing a hope for their peace but also stating his belief that the situation was unjust.
This marked the fifth execution in Florida in the current year, following the execution of Michael Lee King, who had committed a heinous crime against a young mother. Both King and Willacy endured lengthy stays on death row before their sentences were carried out, with Willacy’s case spanning nearly 36 years since the attack on Ms. Sather in Palm Bay, Florida.
The tragic incident involving Ms. Sather saw Willacy attempting to strangle her with a telephone cord before resorting to setting her ablaze with petrol. Ms. Sather’s cause of death was determined to be smoke inhalation, indicating she was alive when set on fire. Willacy also stole possessions from her home, including her car, and used her ATM card to withdraw cash.
Following the discovery of Ms. Sather’s body by her son-in-law, Willacy was swiftly convicted of multiple charges, including first-degree murder, and received a death sentence based on a 9-3 jury decision. Florida’s fifth execution of the year came after a record-breaking 19 executions in the state the previous year, under the governance of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Another execution is scheduled later in the month in Florida, with James Ernest Hitchcock set to receive a lethal injection for the murder of his 13-year-old niece.