The state of Florida has executed Curtis Windom, a convicted triple murderer, drawing a close to a case that has horrified the public for over two decades. Windom, 50, received a lethal injection at Florida State Prison and was pronounced dead at 6:03 pm on Tuesday.
His final hours were marked by a last meal request that was stark in its simplicity. For his final supper, Windom asked for two pieces of fried whiting fish, two slices of white bread, a bowl of grits, and a large cup of lemonade—a mundane order that stood in chilling contrast to the brutality of his crimes.
A Spree of Brutal Violence
Windom's path to the death chamber began in 1998 with a series of heinous acts. His killing spree started on October 4th of that year when he shot and killed 24-year-old Alphonso Tillman during a robbery in Lee County. Mere days later, his violence escalated.
On October 8th, Windom broke into the Fort Myers home of 84-year-old Margaret Summerlin. After ransacking the property, he stabbed the elderly woman to death. His final victim was 36-year-old Denise Collins, who was found stabbed 17 times in her own apartment. Windom was later arrested and connected to all three murders.
A Long Wait for Justice
After being convicted for the murders of Tillman and Summerlin, for which he received two life sentences, Windom was finally sentenced to death in 2007 for the murder of Denise Collins. For years, he appealed the decision, but the courts ultimately upheld his sentence.
The execution proceeded after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant, scheduling it for September 11th, 2024. Windom becomes the sixth inmate to be executed in Florida this year, and the third since the state resumed capital punishment following a hiatus.
The case of Curtis Windom serves as a grim reminder of the devastating impact of violent crime and the long, arduous journey towards judicial resolution.
