Edward Zakrzewski was put to death Thursday for the brutal 1994 murders of his wife and two young children.

According to Fox News, the 60-year-old's execution marked Florida's ninth of the year, breaking the state's previous single-year record of eight set in 2014 since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. Zakrzewski was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke following administration of a three-drug lethal injection.

Before his execution, Zakrzewski delivered final words that included thanking "the good people of the Sunshine State for killing me in the most cold, calculated, clean, humane, efficient way possible." He also quoted from a poem as witnesses, reporters, and prison officials looked on during the procedure that concluded when he became still after prison staff checked for signs of consciousness.

Horrific Family Massacre Shocked Community

Zakrzewski was convicted of murdering his wife, Sylvia, 34, and their children, Edward, 7, and Anna, 5, at their Okaloosa County home on June 9, 1994. Court testimony revealed he attacked his wife with a crowbar and strangled her with a rope after she had asked for a divorce, having previously told others he would kill his family rather than allow divorce proceedings.

The violence escalated when Zakrzewski murdered his two young children with a machete, and then returned to strike his wife with the same weapon when he believed she had survived the initial assault. The brutal nature of the crimes ultimately led to his death sentence despite several appeals over the decades following his conviction.

His final appeal for a stay of execution was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, clearing the way for Thursday's lethal injection. Opponents of his execution had pointed to his military service as an Air Force veteran and the fact that the jury recommendation for death came in a narrow 7-5 vote.

Florida Leads Nation in Executions This Year

Florida's nine executions in 2025 have far outpaced any other state, with Texas and South Carolina tied for second with four each. The state has scheduled two more executions for August, which would bring its yearly total to eleven if carried out as planned.

Zakrzewski's final day began at 5:15 a.m., and he later consumed a last meal that included fried pork chops, root beer and ice cream. Prison officials reported he had one visitor and "remained compliant" as his execution approached, showing no resistance during the procedure.

The lethal injection protocol used in Florida consists of a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a drug that stops the heart. During the execution, Zakrzewski began breathing deeply after the drugs were administered, then showed no reaction when a prison staffer shook his shoulders and called his name.

Changing Standards for Death Penalty Cases

Critics of Zakrzewski's execution highlighted that under current Florida law, he could not have received the death penalty with the split jury vote of 7-5 that condemned him in the 1990s. Florida's death penalty standards have evolved significantly since his trial and sentencing.

The state has become increasingly aggressive in carrying out executions under the current leadership, scheduling more lethal injections than any other state this year. Florida's nine executions to date in 2025 contribute to a national total of 27 people put to death across the United States so far this year.

An additional nine people are scheduled for execution in seven states through the remainder of 2025, with Florida accounting for two of those planned lethal injections. The state's previous execution was carried out on July 15, when Michael Bernard Bell was put to death.

Final Moments of Condemned Killer

Zakrzewski appeared resigned to his fate during the execution, making no complaints about the process in his final statement. As he lay on a gurney covered with a white sheet, he delivered his remarks before the administration of the lethal drugs began.

The execution was witnessed by fourteen official observers along with members of the media and prison staff. Once the drugs began flowing, Zakrzewski's breathing pattern changed before he became still and unresponsive to stimulation.

His execution comes after years of legal challenges that ultimately failed to spare him from the death penalty for the triple murder that claimed his entire family. Despite changes in Florida's jury requirements for death sentences, courts maintained that his punishment was appropriate given the circumstances of his crimes.