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Man who set his neighbor on fire during a home burglary set to be executed
Independent.co.uk and 2 more
- A Florida man, Chadwick Scott Willacy, faces execution by three-drug lethal injection for the 1990 murder of Marlys Sather, with the sentence carried out in Florida State Prison near Starke.
- Willacy was sentenced to death after being convicted of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and arson, with a 9-3 jury recommendation in 1991 and a later resentencing in 1995.
- Sather died from smoke inhalation after Willacy doused her with gasoline and set her on fire during a 1990 burglary at her Palm Bay home, indicating she was alive when the blaze began.
- Willacy's appeals neared the U.S. Supreme Court as Florida's high court had recently denied state appeals, shaping the timing of the execution.
- Florida's Supreme Court previously denied Willacy's appeals, contributing to the move toward his execution.
- Florida carried out its fifth execution in 2026, continuing a trend of increased executions following a 2025 record in the state.
- The 1990 incident began when Sather found Willacy burglarizing her Palm Bay home, leading to a brutal confrontation and Willacy fleeing with her car and cash.
- Willacy also stole Sather's car and used her ATM card to withdraw cash, expanding the burglary's criminal impact.
- A 1994 sentencing review led to a new sentencing in 1995, with an 11-1 jury recommendation sustaining the death penalty.
- The new reference notes a broader national context, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' role and a record year for executions in 2025, framing Willacy's case within state trends.
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