TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A person convicted of killing two girls he met at seashore bars within the Florida Panhandle in 1996 is about to be executed beneath a demise warrant signed Thursday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Michael Duane Zack III’s deadly injection is scheduled for Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. It’s the sixth execution scheduled in Florida this yr after a break relationship again to 2019.
The scheduled execution of Zack, 54, can be the eighth beneath DeSantis. Though Florida has been executing demise row inmates at a far slower tempo than beneath its earlier governors, DeSantis has made harder, extra far-reaching demise penalty legal guidelines a difficulty in his presidential marketing campaign.
According to court docket information, Zack went on a criminal offense spree throughout the Florida Panhandle in June 1996. He had been residing in Tallahassee when he borrowed a bartender’s automotive and by no means returned it, authorities stated. Zack made his means towards Panama City, the place the proprietor of an area development enterprise allowed Zack to remain in his home. Investigators stated Zack stole two weapons and a few money from the person after which went to Niceville, the place he pawned the weapons.
Zack ultimately ended up in Okaloosa Island. Officials stated he met Laurie Russillo, whom Zack strangled to demise earlier than leaving her physique on the seashore. Zack then drove to Pensacola Beach, the place he met Ravonne Smith. Investigators stated Zack sexually assaulted Smith after which fatally stabbed her at her house. Zack stole some electronics from Smith’s house and tried to pawn them in Panama City. He was arrested two days later after breaking right into a home.
Zack was convicted of first-degree homicide for each deaths. He obtained a life sentence for Russillo’s homicide and the demise penalty for Smith’s slaying.
Defense attorneys have argued that Zack suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome and posttraumatic stress dysfunction, which make Zack impulsive and trigger him to be beneath fixed emotional and psychological misery.
Earlier this yr in Florida, Donald Dillbeck was executed in February, and Louis Bernard Gaskin was executed in April. Darryl B. Barwick was executed in May, adopted by Duane Eugene Owen in June. James Phillip Barnes was executed earlier this month.
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