Florida Executes 74-Year-Old for 1992 Wife's Murder, Marks Oldest Inmate in State History

A 74-year-old Florida man was executed on Thursday for the 1992 fatal stabbing of his wife, making him the oldest inmate in the state's modern history to be put to death. Dusty Ray Spencer was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison, located near Starke.

When asked for any final words, Spencer stated, "Sorry, sorry to the family. Into thy hands I commit my spirit and my soul. I’m on my way, Lord. I’m on my way. Amen."

After exhibiting labored breathing for several minutes, Spencer ceased all movement. The warden then attempted to rouse him by shaking and calling his name multiple times without a response. A medic subsequently confirmed his death.

Spencer had been convicted in November 1992 of the first-degree murder of his wife, Karen Spencer. Her family did not issue a statement following the execution.

A Look at Florida's Execution History

According to records from the Florida Department of Corrections, which date back to 1924, the state's previously oldest executed inmates were both 72 years old. Samuel Lee Smithers was executed on October 14, 2025, for the 1996 killings of two women. R. Charlie Gifford was put to death on February 21, 1951, for the 1950 shooting death of state Representative Charles Schuh Jr.

Another Florida inmate, Dennis Sochor, also 74, is scheduled for execution on July 14. Sochor's conviction stems from the killing of a woman in the early hours of New Year's Day in 1982, hours after they met at a New Year’s Eve celebration.

Nationally, the oldest individual executed in modern U.S. history was Walter Leroy Moody Jr., who was 83 when he was put to death in Alabama in 2018. Moody was convicted for sending mail bombs as part of a wave of terror in the South, which resulted in the deaths of a federal judge and a Black civil rights attorney.

Spencer's execution was the ninth carried out in Florida this year.

In 2025, Florida recorded a significant increase in executions, putting 19 people to death. This figure set a new record for the highest number of executions in a single year within the state. Prior to 2025, Florida's record for executions in a year since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 was eight, which occurred in both 1984 and 2014.

Florida also led all other states in executions last year, with Alabama, Texas, and South Carolina each performing five executions, tying for the second-highest number. Across the United States, a total of 47 individuals were executed in 2025.

The Crime and Legal Journey

Spencer's violent acts against his wife, Karen, began in December 1991 when he choked her and threatened her life. While incarcerated, he contacted his wife and warned her that he intended to "finish what he started" upon his release.

On January 18, 1992, Spencer assaulted his wife’s teenage son with a clothes iron after the teen attempted to intervene in an attack on his mother, according to authorities.

Approximately one week later, the son investigated a disturbance outside their residence and witnessed Spencer striking his mother's head with a brick. The teenager attempted to shoot Spencer with a rifle, but the weapon misfired. Spencer then menaced the boy with a knife, prompting the teen to flee and seek help. When law enforcement arrived, Spencer's wife was discovered deceased, having sustained multiple stab wounds to the chest.

Spencer was initially sentenced to death in 1992 following his conviction for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery.

Two years later, the Florida Supreme Court mandated a new sentencing hearing, citing that the trial court had improperly evaluated aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Spencer was resentenced to death the following year, and subsequent appeals were consistently denied.

Last week, the state Supreme Court rejected Spencer’s most recent appeals. On Thursday, just prior to his execution, the U.S. Supreme Court also denied a final appeal.