Florida Governor DeSantis Signs Death Warrant in 1979 Child Murder Case, Accelerating Execution Rate
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant for Bryan Fredrick Jennings, 66, escalating the state’s already unprecedented pace of executions. Jennings is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on November 13 at Florida State Prison for the 1979 murder of 6-year-old Rebecca Kunash. This decision underscores a significant shift in Florida’s approach to capital punishment under DeSantis’s leadership.
Record-Breaking Execution Schedule
The execution of Jennings would mark the 16th in Florida in 2025, surpassing all previous years since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. DeSantis is overseeing a rate of executions unseen in the state’s history, with more scheduled in the coming weeks. Just days before, Samuel Lee Smithers is set for execution on Tuesday, and Norman Mearle Grim Jr. is scheduled to die on October 28.
Details of the Heinous Crime
According to court records, Jennings forcibly entered a Brevard County home in May 1979 and abducted young Rebecca Kunash. Investigators determined that Jennings drove the child to a remote area near a Merritt Island canal, where he subjected her to a brutal assault. He then fatally injured her by repeatedly striking her head before ultimately drowning her in the canal, where her body was later recovered by authorities. Jennings was initially arrested on an unrelated traffic warrant, which ultimately led to his connection with the horrific crime.
Legal Challenges Anticipated
Attorneys representing Jennings are expected to file appeals with both the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to halt the execution. These appeals will likely focus on challenging the legality of the sentence and raising questions about Jennings’s mental state and legal representation throughout the decades-long legal process. Jennings had previously received two convictions in the case, both of which were later overturned.
National Context and Florida’s Leading Role
So far in 2025, 35 executions have been carried out across the United States, with Florida leading the nation in the number of capital punishments administered. The most recent execution in Florida occurred on September 30, when Victory Tony Jones was put to death by lethal injection for a 1990 double murder in South Florida. Prior to DeSantis’s tenure, the highest number of executions in a single year in Florida was eight, last reached in 2014.
This surge in executions reflects a broader national debate surrounding capital punishment and its application, particularly in cases involving particularly heinous crimes. The governor’s actions have ignited discussion about the role of the death penalty in the justice system and the ethical considerations surrounding its use.
