Florida Carries Out First Execution of 2026 in Decades-Old Murder Case
A man convicted of murdering a traveling salesman more than three decades ago was executed by lethal injection Tuesday night in Florida, marking the state's first execution of 2026 and the second in the United States this year.
Final Moments and Execution Details
Ronald Palmer Heath, 64, received a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison in Raiford and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. According to Associated Press reports, Heath's last words were, "I'm sorry. That's all I can say. Thank you."
The news agency described Heath as appearing to die peacefully, noting he "showed little outward reaction, closing his eyes and then appearing to fall asleep before becoming motionless" when the drugs were administered. He was pronounced dead just two minutes later.
The 1989 Crime That Led to Death Row
Heath was convicted for his role in the 1989 slaying of Michael Sheridan during a robbery committed with his younger brother, Kenneth Heath. Court records reveal the disturbing details of the crime:
- The brothers met Sheridan at a bar in Gainesville
- The trio agreed to go elsewhere to smoke marijuana
- Heath drove the group to a remote area south of Gainesville
- The brothers had planned to rob Sheridan from the beginning
According to investigators, Kenneth Heath pulled a gun on the salesman and shot him in the chest when Sheridan refused to hand over his possessions. As Sheridan emptied his pockets, Ronald Heath began kicking the victim and stabbing him with a hunting knife. Kenneth Heath then shot the victim twice in the head.
Legal Outcomes for Both Brothers
Kenneth Heath pleaded guilty to murder and testified against his brother, receiving a life sentence in prison. Ronald Heath maintained his innocence through appeals but ultimately faced execution for his role in the brutal crime.
Execution Trends in Florida and Nationally
This execution continues Florida's recent trend of increased death penalty activity. Last year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year than any of his predecessors since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1976. The state carried out 19 executions in 2025, significantly surpassing the previous record of eight executions in 2014.
Heath's execution represents the second in the United States for 2026. Last month, Texas executed a 55-year-old man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, continuing the national debate about capital punishment's role in the American justice system.
The case highlights how decades-old crimes continue to reach their final legal resolutions through the capital punishment system, with victims' families and defendants' appeals processes sometimes spanning generations before reaching conclusion.
