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USA Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Who is Edward J. Zakrzewski II? Airman who killed family is 9th DeSantis death warrant in 2025
Nearly 30 years after a former Eglin Air Force Base airman was convicted of savagely murdering his family, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant to potentially make him the ninth person put to death in Florida in 2025. Edward J. Zakrzewski II pleaded guilty to killing his wife Sylvia inside their Okaloosa County home in 1994 by bludgeoning her with a crowbar, strangling her and striking her with a machete, according to court records. Then he turned the machete on his 7-year-old son, Edward, and his 5-year-old daughter, Anna, hacking them to death. Zakrzewski, now 60, was sentenced to death for all three murders. In signing Zakrzewski's death warrant on July 1, DeSantis set the stage to break the modern-day record for number of executions in one calendar year set by former governors Bob Graham in 1984 and Rick Scott in 2014, with six months still left to go in 2025. There are currently 269 people on Florida's death row. More than 100 of them have been there for more than 30 years, according to the Department of Corrections. Zakrzewski is scheduled to be executed on July 31, just two weeks after the scheduled execution of Michael Bell, who was convicted of murdering a Jacksonville couple in 1993 in a revenge killing aimed at the wrong person. Should the scheduled executions go forward, this will be the second month in 2025 when two executions were held. Jeffrey Hutchinson and Glen E. Rogers were both put to death in May. Anthony F. Wainwright was executed in June. There have been executions every month this year except for January. Latest Florida execution: Florida to set record with 9 executions in 2025 under DeSantis; latest is Okaloosa killer Judge: Zakrzewski murders 'brutal and atrocious' According to the sentencing order, Zakrzewski's son Edward called him at work and told him that his mother Sylvia was going to file for divorce. Zakrzewski, who a neighbor testified had previously stated on two prior occasions that he would kill her and the children before he let that happen, bought a machete on his lunch break. At their Mary Esther home, after sharpening the machete, he placed it, a crowbar and some rope around the house, court records show. Then he went back to work and even attended a college course that evening. When he got home, he sent the children to watch TV and then attacked Sylvia Zakrzewski with the crowbar. Zakrzewski dragged her to the bedroom, hit her again, court records said. He also choked her with the rope. Zakrzewski called his son to brush his teeth and struck him with the machete multiple times, nearly decapitating him, then attacked and killed his daughter Anna. Afterward, Zakrzewski drove to Orlando and flew to Hawaii, changed his name and lived with a family who ran a religious commune, according to court records. Four months later, the family saw his picture on the TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" and he turned himself in the next day. Exhaustive attempts at appeals have been denied and the Florida Supreme Court has upheld his conviction and sentences. In 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court denied his petition to review the case. From 2016: Edward Zakrzewski nears 20th anniversary on Florida's death row When is Edward J. Zakrzewski II scheduled to be executed? If the execution happens as scheduled, Zakrzewski's death is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Florida State Prison in Raiford. How many death row inmates has Florida executed? From 1924 until May 1964, the state of Florida executed 196 people. There were no executions from May 1964 until May 1976. In 1972, the United States Supreme Court struck down the death penalty, but it was reinstated in 1976. Florida has carried out 112 executions since then. DeSantis is on track to set a new record for number of executions in Florida in a calendar year. When is the next execution in Florida? Michael Bell, 54, is scheduled to be put to death on June 24. Bell was convicted in 1995 for gunning down Jimmy West and Tamecka Smith in a car outside a Jacksonville bar in a case of mistaken identity, believing West to be the man who killed Bell's brother earlier that year. Prosecutors said Bell was unaware the real killer had sold his car.
02-07-2025
Man who killed his family after his wife sought a divorce is set for execution in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A man who killed his wife and two children in 1994 after she sought a divorce is scheduled for execution in Florida under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Edward J. Zakrzewski, II, is set to die July 31 in the ninth execution scheduled for this year in the state. He pleaded guilty in 1996 to three counts of first-degree murder and received three death sentences in the killings of wife Sylvia Zakrzewski, son Edward Zakrzewski, 7, and Anna Zakrzewski, 5. The man beat his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her to death and killed the children with a machete June 9, 1994, in Okaloosa County. He eventually turned himself into law enforcement after the case was profiled on the television show 'Unsolved Mysteries,' according to court documents. Another man on death row, Michael Bernard Bell, 54, is set to die by lethal injection July 15 at Florida State Prison. He's convicted of killing two people outside a bar. Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, who was convicted of raping and killing a woman in Florida, was executed following a lethal injection at the same prison last week. The state also executed six people in 2023 but only carried out one execution last year.
New York Post
02-07-2025
- New York Post
Florida man who killed his family after wife sought a divorce is set for execution
A man who killed his wife and two children in 1994 after she sought a divorce is scheduled for execution in Florida under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Edward J. Zakrzewski, II, is set to die July 31 in the ninth execution scheduled for this year in the state. He pleaded guilty in 1996 to three counts of first-degree murder and received three death sentences in the killings of wife Sylvia Zakrzewski, son Edward Zakrzewski, 7, and Anna Zakrzewski, 5. 3 Edward J. Zakrzewski, II, is set to die July 31. The man beat his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her to death and killed the children with a machete June 9, 1994, in Okaloosa County. He eventually turned himself into law enforcement after the case was profiled on the television show 'Unsolved Mysteries,' according to court documents. 3 The man beat his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her to death and killed the children with a machete June 9, 1994, in Okaloosa County. AP 3 The sun sets behind Holman Prison in Atmore, Ala., on Jan. 27, 2022. AP Another man on death row, Michael Bernard Bell, 54, is set to die by lethal injection July 15 at Florida State Prison. He's convicted of killing two people outside a bar. Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, who was convicted of raping and killing a woman in Florida, was executed following a lethal injection at the same prison last week. The state also executed six people in 2023 but only carried out one execution last year.
Hamilton Spectator
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Man who killed his family after his wife sought a divorce is set for execution in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man who killed his wife and two children in 1994 after she sought a divorce is scheduled for execution in Florida under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Edward J. Zakrzewski, II, is set to die July 31 in the ninth execution scheduled for this year in the state. He pleaded guilty in 1996 to three counts of first-degree murder and received three death sentences in the killings of wife Sylvia Zakrzewski, son Edward Zakrzewski, 7, and Anna Zakrzewski, 5. The man beat his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her to death and killed the children with a machete June 9, 1994, in Okaloosa County. He eventually turned himself into law enforcement after the case was profiled on the television show 'Unsolved Mysteries,' according to court documents. Another man on death row, Michael Bernard Bell , 54, is set to die by lethal injection July 15 at Florida State Prison. He's convicted of killing two people outside a bar. Thomas Lee Gudinas , 51, who was convicted of raping and killing a woman in Florida, was executed following a lethal injection at the same prison last week. The state also executed six people in 2023 but only carried out one execution last year. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
02-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Man who killed his family after his wife sought a divorce is set for execution in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man who killed his wife and two children in 1994 after she sought a divorce is scheduled for execution in Florida under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Edward J. Zakrzewski, II, is set to die July 31 in the ninth execution scheduled for this year in the state. He pleaded guilty in 1996 to three counts of first-degree murder and received three death sentences in the killings of wife Sylvia Zakrzewski, son Edward Zakrzewski, 7, and Anna Zakrzewski, 5. The man beat his wife with a crowbar and machete and strangled her to death and killed the children with a machete June 9, 1994, in Okaloosa County. He eventually turned himself into law enforcement after the case was profiled on the television show 'Unsolved Mysteries,' according to court documents. Another man on death row, Michael Bernard Bell, 54, is set to die by lethal injection July 15 at Florida State Prison. He's convicted of killing two people outside a bar. Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, who was convicted of raping and killing a woman in Florida, was executed following a lethal injection at the same prison last week. The state also executed six people in 2023 but only carried out one execution last year.
