Florida man dubbed ‘Deacon of Death’ executed for 1996 Plant City murders

Florida ‘Deacon of Death’ executed for murders of two women found dumped in lake as state sets record

A Florida killer known as the "Deacon of Death" was executed on Tuesday for the murders of two women whose bodies were found dumped in a pond in 1996, continuing a record 14 executions carried out by the state this year. Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. by lethal injection inside the Florida State Prison in Bradford County, officials announced.

The Scoop: Tues. Oct. 14, 2025 Tampa Bay and Florida headlines by WMNF

Tonight Florida will execute another inmate Samuel Lee Smithers, convicted of killing two women in 1996, is scheduled to be executed today. Extending th estate record for total number of executions in a year. Manatee County will name a road segment after Charlie Kirk After a unanimous vote, a road in Manatee County will be named after controversial right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk. Commissioner Bob McCann expressed osme concern due to mixed rea…

Florida executes Plant City’s ‘Deacon of Death’ for murders of 2 women

Samuel Lee Smithers was the 14th person to be executed in Florida this year — a record for the state.

Florida man dubbed ‘Deacon of Death’ executed for 1996 Plant City murders

A Florida man convicted of killing two women whose bodies were found in a rural pond was executed on Tuesday evening.

Man who was working in a church when he murdered two woman utters two-word final statement before his execution

Samuel Lee Smithers, a 72-year-old man convicted of murdering two women nearly three decades ago, was executed in Florida on October 14, 2025. Known as the "Deacon of Death," Smithers was put to death by lethal injection at Florida State Prison after uttering a two-word final statement.His execution follows the brutal killings of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach, which took place in May 1996.At the time of the murders, Smithers worked as a church …

Florida carries out 14th execution this year on man

STARKE, Fla. — A man convicted of the 1996 killings of two women whose bodies were left in a rural pond was put to death Tuesday evening in a record 14th execution in Florida this year.