Donald Dillbeck, 59, was executed on Thursday night in Florida State Prison for the 1990 murder of Faye Lamb Vann. Dillbeck also killed Lee County Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall, 31, when he was 15. Before the execution, Dillbeck apologized for his actions but also accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of causing harm to people. He said, “I speak for all men, women, and children. He’s put his foot on our necks.”
The family members of Vann witnessed the execution and expressed their gratitude towards DeSantis for carrying out the sentence. Two men who worked with Hall at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office also went to the prison, waited in the grass, and said that the execution gave them closure. Florida’s first execution in more than three years was the 100th since the Supreme Court allowed the practice to resume in 1975.
Dillbeck’s execution had been delayed because of COVID-19 and state emergencies. Opponents of the death penalty believe that politics and DeSantis’ expected presidential run played a role in the timing of the execution, especially since DeSantis had floated the idea of lowering the jury threshold to recommend a death sentence from unanimity to 8-4, which is required by current state law. A Republican lawmaker has also filed a bill to allow a judge to override a jury’s recommendation for life in prison and sentence death instead.
Donald Dillbeck’s last words before his execution expressed remorse for his past actions but also accused Governor Ron DeSantis of inflicting harm on the people. According to him, DeSantis has put his foot on the necks of all men, women, and children. However, the family members of Faye Lamb Vann, who witnessed the execution, expressed their gratitude towards DeSantis for carrying out the sentence. Bill Rogers and Tony Vetter, who worked with the late Lee County Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall, were also present during the execution.
They have been waiting for 44 years to see Dillbeck receive justice for killing Hall. Opponents of the death penalty believe that politics played a role in Dillbeck’s execution. Governor DeSantis signed Dillbeck’s death warrant exactly one month ago, on Jan. 23, and also proposed a bill to lower the jury threshold to recommend a death sentence from unanimity to 8-4.
The jury in Dillbeck’s case had the same breakdown. Republican lawmakers also filed a pair of bills to make that change and to allow a judge to override a jury’s recommendation for life in prison and sentence death instead.
