Killer’s final words as he’s put to death in Florida’s ongoing execution ‘spree’

11.02.2026 19:35

«Metro UK»

Convicted death row killer Ronald Palmer Heath used his final moments to utter just nine words: ‘I’m sorry. That’s all I can say. Thank you.’ Minutes later, at 6.12pm on Tuesday, he was pronounced dead at Florida State Prison near Starke. The 64-year-old (pictured) had been strapped to a gurney with an IV in his arm when the curtain rose at 6pm. He showed little outward reaction as the cocktail of three drugs were administered, closing his eyes and appearing to drift off before becoming motionless, Associated Press reports. It marked Florida’s first execution of the year, following a record 19 in 2025. (Picture: Florida Department of Corrections /AFP/Getty Images)

Heath had been sentenced to death for the 1989 killing of travelling salesman Michael Sheridan. Court records state that he and his brother Kenneth (pictured) had targeted Sheridan after meeting him at a bar in Gainesville in May of that year. The three men had socialised in bathe r before agreeing to find somewhere to smoke marijuana. Investigators say the two brothers then planned to rob the other man. What began as a casual encounter soon shifted into something far darker and more violent on what was a remote dirt road. (Picture: Florida Department of Corrections)

Kenneth Heath pulled a gun and demanded money once they reached an isolated area. Sheridan initially refused to hand anything over. He was then shot in the chest by Kenneth. Still alive, he began emptying his pockets. Documents state that Ronald then kicked him and stabbed him with a hunting knife. Kenneth fired two further shots into Sheridan’s head, killing him. The brothers then proceeded to dump his body in some nearby woodland before heading back towards Gainesville. (Picture: Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

After abandoning the murdered Sheridan in the woods, the pair returned to the bar in order to callously rifle through and rob his rental car, court records show. Their plan quickly unravelled quickly, however. Multiple purchases made with the victim’s credit cards left a clear trail for police to follow. The spending spree helped authorities piece together the movements of the Heath brothers in the hours after the killing. (Picture: Chris Livingston/Getty Images)

Ronald Heath was later convicted of first degree murder, armed robbery and multiple forgery charges and sentenced to death. His brother took a different path through the justice system. Kenneth struck a plea deal and ended up testifying against Ronald. In exchange he received life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 25 years. He is now eligible for parole. (Picture: AP)

Campaign group Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty has long argued that the sentence was unjust. Following Tuesday’s execution it repeated its stance in rather uncompromising terms. ‘Ronnie was put to death for a murder he did not commit. The undisputed trigger man in that crime, Ronnie’s brother Kenneth, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole. That means one day Kenneth may walk free on this earth, while Ronnie will be buried six feet under it.’ (Picture: AP)

Court records, however, describe Ronald as being the driving force behind the robbery, with claims that he also urged his brother to shoot. Jurors ultimately found him guilty of first degree murder after hearing evidence about the planning and the violence that followed. Supporters of the sentence argue the case was tested over decades of appeals. (Picture: AP)

Florida carried out a full 19 executions in 2025, setting a new annual record and far surpassing the previous high of eight (recorded in 2014). Republican governor Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions last year than any Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated back in 1976. (Picture: Dirk Shadd/TNS via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty described the broader pattern as an ‘execution spree that remains politicised, frantic, and disproportionate’. AP reports that two more Florida executions are already scheduled for the coming weeks. Melvin Trotter, 65, is scheduled to face the death penalty on February 24, and the execution of Billy Leon Kearse, 53, is set to follow a week later on March 3. (Picture: Chris Livingston/Getty Images)

Killer’s final words as he’s put to death in Florida’s ongoing execution ‘spree’

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