Florida Executes Man Who Killed His Own 5-Year-Old

A Florida man was executed Thursday nearly three decades after he was convicted of fatally stabbing his ex-wife, young daughter, and two in-laws. Jerry Correll, 59, was pronounced dead at 7:36pm at Florida State Prison after receiving a lethal injection. The execution came after the US Supreme Court rejected his latest appeals. Correll is the 22nd inmate to be executed under Gov. Rick Scott—the most executions under a single governor since the death penalty was reinstated in Florida in 1979. Correll, strapped to the death gurney, said "No, sir" when asked if he had any final statement before his execution. He was pronounced dead nine minutes after the lethal injection was administered.

In 1986, he was found guilty and sentenced to death for each of four July 1985 slayings in Orlando. A jury convicted him of killing his former wife, Susan; their 5-year-old daughter, Tuesday; Susan Correll's mother, Mary Lou Hines; and Susan Correll's sister, Marybeth Jones. The victims' families released a statement after the execution saying they "are at peace in knowing justice has finally been served." "We say this without vengeance in our hearts but with the belief that there should be proper consequences for the actions of each and every individual," the statement said. (More Florida stories.)