Samuel Lee Smithers: Florida Deacon Executed for 1996 Murders

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“Deacon of Death” Samuel Lee Smithers Executed in Florida, Marking Record Year for State’s Death Penalty

Florida carried out a record 14th execution of the year on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, with the lethal injection of Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, a convicted murderer known as the “Deacon of Death.” Smithers was sentenced for the 1996 murders of two women whose bodies were discovered in a pond.

A Gruesome Discovery and a Disturbing Double Life

Smithers was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. inside Florida State Prison in Bradford County, according too officials. The execution chamber curtains opened at 6 p.m., revealing Smithers already secured to the table with an IV in his arm. He declined to make a final statement, responding only with “No, sir” when offered the prospect. His last meal consisted of peanut butter, three packs of oatmeal, water, and two sports drinks.

The case against Smithers revealed a chilling duality.A seemingly devout Baptist deacon, he preyed upon christy Cowan and Denise Roach, both prostitutes he met outside a Tampa motel on Hillsborough Avenue – a street known for its association with prostitution – in May 1996.

Did you know?– Samuel Lee Smithers was a deacon at the First Baptist Church of Brandon,Florida,at the time of the murders. His position of trust within the community heightened the shock of his crimes.

Lured and Murdered

According to court documents, Smithers lured Cowan and Roach to a 27-acre property where he had been contracted for landscaping work. He engaged in sexual activity with both women before leading them to a carport, where he brutally murdered them and disposed of their bodies in a pond on the property.

The property owner, a fellow church member who knew Smithers, discovered the disturbing scene days after Smithers was expected to complete the landscaping. He found the deacon cleaning an ax near a pool of blood inside the carport. smithers initially claimed he was chopping tree limbs and attributed the blood to an animal killing.

However,the property owner alerted authorities,leading to the discovery of Cowan’s body floating in the pond. A dive team later recovered Roach’s body, which was severely decomposed and believed to have been submerged for at least a week.

Pro tip:– Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa has a long history of being associated with prostitution, and was a known location for sex workers in the 1990s.

Brutal Injuries and a History of Exploitation

Both women suffered horrific injuries, including strangulation, lacerations, and chop wounds to the head. Roach sustained 16 puncture wounds to the skull and suffered skull fractures. Investigators believe Smithers used both an ax and a hoe in the commission of the murders.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated Smithers had frequented the Tampa motel prior to the murders and had “dated” another prostitute, revealing a pattern of exploitation and predatory behavior.

Reader question:– Florida’s death penalty has faced legal challenges over the years, including concerns about lethal injection protocols and the fairness of sentencing.

Florida’s Record Year for Executions

Smithers’ execution marks the 14th carried out by the state of Florida this year, setting a new record for the highest number of executions in a single year. Two more inmates, Norman Mearle Grim Jr. and Bryan Fredrick Jennings, are scheduled to be executed on October 28 and November 13, respectively. Grim Jr. was convicted of raping and murdering his neighbor in 1998, while Jennings was found guilty of abducting, raping, and murdering a 6-year-old girl in 1979.

Notably, Smithers’ execution occurred on the

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