Florida executes 74-year-old for wife's murder, becoming oldest inmate put to death in state's modern history

A 74-year-old Florida antheral was executed connected Thursday for his condemnation successful the 1992 fatal stabbing of his wife, making him the oldest inmate successful modern authorities past to beryllium enactment to death.

Dusty Ray Spencer was pronounced dormant astatine 6:10 p.m., aft officials executed him utilizing a three-drug injection astatine Florida State Prison adjacent Starke.

"Sorry, atrocious to the family. Into thy hands I perpetrate my tone and my soul. I’m connected my way, Lord. I’m connected my way. Amen," Spencer said erstwhile asked if helium had immoderate last words.

After a fewer minutes of labored breathing, helium ceased each movements. The warden past shook Spencer and shouted his sanction respective times without a response. He was checked by a medic and pronounced dead.

FLORIDA BREAKS 50-YEAR EXECUTION RECORD WITH NINTH DEATH SENTENCE CARRIED OUT THIS YEAR

Dusty Ray Spencer, 74, was executed connected Thursday for his condemnation successful the 1992 fatal stabbing of his wife. (Florida Department of Corrections)

Spencer was convicted successful November 1992 of the first-degree execution of his wife, Karen Spencer. Her household did not merchandise a connection pursuing his execution.

According to Florida Department of Correction records dating backmost to 1924, the oldest inmates antecedently executed by the authorities were some 72 — Samuel Lee Smithers connected Oct. 14, 2025, for the 1996 killings of 2 women, and R. Charlie Gifford connected Feb. 21, 1951, for the 1950 shooting decease of authorities Rep. Charles Schuh Jr.

Another 74-year-old Florida inmate, Dennis Sochor, is scheduled to beryllium executed connected July 14 for his condemnation successful the sidesplitting of a pistillate conscionable hours aft midnight connected New Year's Day successful 1982 aft gathering her astatine a New Year’s Eve party.

The oldest idiosyncratic executed successful modern times successful the U.S. was Walter Leroy Moody Jr., 83, who was enactment to decease successful Alabama successful 2018, for sending message bombs during a question of Southern terror, sidesplitting a national justice and a Black civilian rights attorney.

Spencer's execution was the ninth successful Florida truthful acold this year.

FLORIDA MAN WHO WRESTLED COP'S GUN AWAY AND KILLED HIM TO BE EXECUTED AFTER FINAL APPEALS REJECTED

Dusty Ray Spencer was pronounced dormant astatine 6:10 p.m. aft officials executed him utilizing a three-drug injection astatine Florida State Prison adjacent Starke. (Curt Anderson/AP Photo)

In 2025, 19 radical were enactment to decease successful Florida, mounting a grounds for the astir executions successful 1 twelvemonth successful the Sunshine State. Before past year, Florida's grounds for executions successful a twelvemonth since the decease punishment was restored successful 1976 was 8 successful 1984 and 2014.

Florida besides executed much radical past twelvemonth than immoderate different state, with Alabama, Texas and South Carolina tied for the second-most with 5 each. Across the U.S., 47 radical were executed successful 2025.

Spencer was arrested aft choking and threatening to termination his wife, Karen, successful December 1991. As helium was sitting successful jail, helium called his woman and warned her that helium would decorativeness what helium started erstwhile helium was released.

On Jan. 18, 1992, Spencer bushed his wife’s teenage lad with a apparel robust erstwhile the teen attempted to halt Spencer from attacking his mother, according to officials.

About a week later, the lad went to cheque retired a commotion extracurricular their location and saw Spencer hitting his parent successful the caput with a brick.

Dusty Ray Spencer's execution was the ninth successful Florida truthful acold this year. (Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press)

The teen attempted to sprout Spencer with a rifle, but the weapon misfired. Spencer threatened the lad with a knife, and the lad ran distant to hunt for help. When constabulary arrived, Spencer's woman was recovered dormant with respective stab wounds to the chest.

Spencer was initially sentenced to decease successful 1992, aft helium was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battle and aggravated battery.

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Two years later, the Florida Supreme Court ordered his caller sentencing aft uncovering that the proceedings tribunal had mishandled evaluating aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Spencer was resentenced to decease the pursuing year, and consequent appeals were denied.

Last week, the authorities Supreme Court rejected Spencer’s appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a last entreaty earlier connected Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.