Starke (Florida), 22 April (LaPresse/AP) – The death sentence has been carried out on a Florida man who, in 1990, set fire to his neighbour after she returned from work and caught him stealing from her home. Chadwick Scott Willacy, 58, received a three-drug injection and was pronounced dead at 6.15 pm (00.15 in Italy) at the Florida State Penitentiary near Starke for the murder of Marlys Sather. This is the fifth execution in Florida this year. Before the lethal injection, Willacy apologised to his family and friends and urged his “brothers on death row” to stay strong. He reiterated his innocence, saying he would never have killed his friend. “To the victim’s family, I hope this brings you peace. If so, fine,” Willacy added, “but this isn’t right.” Court records indicate that on 5 September 1990, Sather, aged 56, had returned to her home in Palm Bay during her lunch break from work and discovered Willacy in the act of stealing. He struck her on the head with a blunt object, fracturing her skull, and then bound her hands and ankles with wire and adhesive tape. He attempted to strangle her with a telephone cable and, failing that, doused her in petrol and set her alight. The post-mortem established that the woman died from smoke inhalation, indicating she was still alive when she was set alight. Willacy also stole her car and other items and used her debit card to withdraw cash. When Sather did not return from her break, her employer called her family. Her son-in-law went to check on her and found her body. Willacy was sentenced to death a year later, on the jury’s recommendation by a 9-3 vote, after being found guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and arson. In 1994, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a retrial. Willacy was again sentenced to death in 1995. Yesterday afternoon, the US Supreme Court dismissed Willacy’s final appeal without comment.
US: Man who set fire to neighbour who caught him stealing has been executed
Starke (Florida), 22 April (LaPresse/AP) – The death sentence has been carried out on a Florida man who, in 1990, set fire to his neighbour after she returned from work and caught him stealing from her home. Chadwick Scott Willacy, 58, received a three-drug injection and was pronounced dead at 6.15 pm (00.15 in Italy) at the Florida State Penitentiary near Starke for the murder of Marlys Sather. This is the fifth execution in Florida this year. Before the lethal injection, Willacy apologised to his family and friends and urged his “brothers on death row” to stay strong. He reiterated his innocence, saying he would never have killed his friend. “To the victim’s family, I hope this brings you peace. If so, fine,” Willacy added, “but this isn’t right.” Court records indicate that on 5 September 1990, Sather, aged 56, had returned to her home in Palm Bay during her lunch break from work and discovered Willacy in the act of stealing. He struck her on the head with a blunt object, fracturing her skull, and then bound her hands and ankles with wire and adhesive tape. He attempted to strangle her with a telephone cable and, failing that, doused her in petrol and set her alight. The post-mortem established that the woman died from smoke inhalation, indicating she was still alive when she was set alight. Willacy also stole her car and other items and used her debit card to withdraw cash. When Sather did not return from her break, her employer called her family. Her son-in-law went to check on her and found her body. Willacy was sentenced to death a year later, on the jury’s recommendation by a 9-3 vote, after being found guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and arson. In 1994, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a retrial. Willacy was again sentenced to death in 1995. Yesterday afternoon, the US Supreme Court dismissed Willacy’s final appeal without comment.
