(WTXL) — A Florida man was executed on Thursday at the Florida State Prison in Raiford after being convicted of fatally stabbing a woman in Tallahassee in 1990.
The Florida Department of Corrections confirmed Donald David Dillbeck died Thursday at 6:13 p.m.
Dillbeck, who died via a lethal injection, became the 100th person to be executed by the state of Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
The Florida Department of Corrections conducted a press conference following the execution.
"The execution went as scheduled and took place without incident," Michelle Glady, the Communications Director for the Florida Department of Corrections said.
Dillbeck, 59, was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. on Thursday for the 1990 murder of Faye Vann. Dillbeck had escaped from custody two days before murdering Vann while serving a life sentence for the death of Lee County Deputy Dwight Lynn Hall back in 1979.
According to the governor's office, Dillbeck had escaped while participating in an off-site vocational program in Quincy. While walking to Tallahassee, he purchased a knife and stabbed Vann who was waiting in a vehicle alone in the shopping mall parking lot. Dillbeck murdered Vann in an attempt to hijack the vehicle.
In attempt to escape, Dillbeck crashed nearby and was convicted of armed robbery, murder, and armed burglary. He has been on death row since his conviction back in 1991.
On Jan. 23 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Dillbeck.
The Supreme Court of Florida denied Dillbeck's two appeals to stay or halt his execution Feb. 16. In addition to the denying of his appeals, the court also denied his appeal of a fourth successive postconviction motion, petition writ of habeas corpus and two motions for argument that was filed with the court Feb. 7.
Dillbeck's team asked the U.S. Supreme Court Feb. 20 to stop his execution from taking place, arguing that Dillbeckhas cognitive, practical and social impairments tied to Neurobehavior Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. His team argued he should be exempt under the Eighth Amendment protections.
Ashley Moody, Florida's attorney general filed paperwork stating the application for Dillbeck's stay of execution should be denied, arguing that he does not meet the factors granted for a stay of execution.
Dillbeck's attorneys responded Feb. 21, filing a response to the U.S. Supreme Court addressing the state of Florida's opposition of his petition to halt his scheduled execution. In the filing, they argued that under the eighth and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution and the eighth amendment, Dillbeck had a categorical exemption from execution.
The eighth amendment prohibits executions of those not sentenced to death by a unanimous jury. Dillbeck requested the U.S. Supreme Court to grant his application for a stay of execution and grant a writ of certiorari, an order to the lower court to provide a record of the case to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Dillbeck's request to stop his execution from happening, denying a writ of certiorari Feb. 22.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated where Dillbeck was scheduled to be executed. The story has been updated.
