A man who murdered his wife and two children with a machete has become the ninth person to be executed in Florida this year.
Edward Zakrzewski’s death sets a new annual record for the state – and two more are scheduled this month.
The 60-year-old was pronounced dead on Thursday after being given a three-drug injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart.
Zakrzewski had been on Death Row since 1994, when he was convicted of murdering his wife and two children, aged seven and five.
He had told others he would kill them rather than let his wife, Sylvia, divorce him.
She was attacked first with a crowbar and strangled with a rope, while the children were hacked to death with the machete.
Sylvia was also attacked with the machete when Zakrzewski thought she was still alive, according to court testimony.
Zakrzewski’s final bid to delay the execution was thrown out on Wednesday.
Officials at Florida State Prison said he had a final meal of fried pork chops, root beer and ice cream.
His final words were: “I want to thank the good people of the Sunshine State for killing me in the most cold, calculated, clean, humane, efficient way possible. I have no complaint.”
Opponents of the execution argued it shouldn’t take place as the original 7-5 jury split in favour of killing him wouldn’t be enough under current laws.
Florida’s previous record since capital punishment was restored in 1976 was eight executions back in 2014.
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No other state has killed more people this year – and two more are set to take place in Florida on 19 and 28 August.
Texas and South Carolina are second, with four executions each.
A total of 27 men have been put to death in the US so far in 2025.
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