ABC News: Top Stories
· collected 2026-08-18 · by DAVID FISCHER Associated Press
William Silvia, a 61-year-old man from Florida, is set to be executed on Tuesday for the fatal shooting of his estranged wife and wounding of her mother in 2006. This will be Florida's 13th execution this year, continuing the state's trend of aggressive use of the death penalty under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' leadership. The state has carried out more than half of the nation's 22 executions so far in 2026, with two more scheduled for September and a total of 47 people executed in the US last year. Silvia's lawyers have argued that he received inadequate legal assistance from the Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, but their appeal was rejected by the Florida Supreme Court.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Florida is set to execute its 13th prisoner of the year on Tuesday, making it one of the busiest death chambers in the country. William Francis Silvia, a 61-year-old man, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke starting at 6 p.m. local time. Silvia was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for shooting his estranged wife, Patricia Silvia, and wounding her mother, Betty Woodard, in 2006. This will be the 13th execution in Florida this year, with two more scheduled for September. Florida has carried out more than half of the nation's 22 executions so far in 2023. The execution comes despite a pending appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Written for “Death Penalty in Florida” on 2026-08-31,
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Leaning score +0.40 for article 983 (medium confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-08-25
Florida set to carry out 13th execution this year in nation's busiest death chamber
A Florida man convicted of fatally shooting his estranged wife and wounding his mother-in-law is set to be executed
MIAMI --
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man → set → law
A Florida man convicted of fatally shooting his estranged wife and wounding his mother-in-law is set to be executed Tuesday, continuing the state's aggressive use of the death penalty in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ' final term.
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man → convict → term
William Frances Silvia, 61, would be the 13th prisoner put to death this year in Florida, which has two more executions scheduled in September and has carried out more than half of the nation's 22 executions so far in 2026.
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which → put → 2026
Silvia is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke starting at 6 p.m. local time.
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Silvia → schedule → p.m.
A final appeal was still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
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appeal → pende → Court
Silvia was sentenced to death after being convicted of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for the deadly 2006 attack on Patricia Silvia, along with her mother, Betty Woodard.
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Silvia → sentence → mother
According to court records, Silvia purchased a shotgun that year and then went to Woodard’s Orlando-area home, where his wife had been living since their separation two months earlier.
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wife → accord → separation
The family was in the middle of a cookout when Silvia arrived, and after an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile, authorities said Silvia retrieved the shotgun from his truck and shot the two women.
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Silvia → arrive → women
William Silvia was first sentenced to death following his 2008 trial.
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Silvia → sentence → trial
A court later vacated that sentence following an appeal related to Florida's death penalty sentencing procedures, but after being granted a new death penalty phase in 2018, he was again sentenced to death.
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he → vacate → death
A Florida state agency, the Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, provides legal representation to death row inmates.
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agency → provide → inmates
Silvia's attorneys have argued that the agency couldn't provide adequate legal assistance because it was already helping another death row inmate.
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it → argue → inmate
The Florida Supreme Court rejected the appeal.
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Court → reject → appeal
A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025.
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total → execute → 2025
Florida led the way with 19, a record in the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
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penalty → lead → 1976
In July, Florida executed two prisoners in one day, the first state in nearly a decade to do so.
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Florida → execute → decade
Two more executions are planned in Florida next month.
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executions → plan → Florida
Harold Gene Lucas, 74, is scheduled to die on Sept. 1, followed by Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., 72, on Sept. 10.
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Lucas → schedule → Sept.
Lucas was convicted of fatally shooting a 16-year-old girl who rejected his romantic advances and wounding two of her friends.
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who → convict → friends
Conahan was convicted of kidnapping and strangling a man that he had paid to pose for nude photos, and authorities suspect him of similar homicides committed in the 1990s in southwest Florida.
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authorities → convict → Florida
All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.
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that → carry → Corrections
