Florida man executed for fatal stabbing of woman and her 4-year-old daughter
This was Florida's seventh execution so far this year, following a state record 19 executions in 2025.
Updated on: May 21, 2026 / 7:06 PM EDT / CBS/AP
A Florida man convicted of fatally stabbing his cousin's girlfriend and the couple's 4-year-old daughter was put to death Thursday evening, becoming the seventh person executed by the state this year.
Richard Knight, 47, was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. Eastern Time following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. Knight was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the June 2002 killings of Odessia Stephens and her daughter, Hanessia Mullings.
The curtain of the death chamber went up promptly at the scheduled 6:00 p.m. execution time. Knight was already strapped down with his arms extended and an IV line in place.
Asked by the warden if he wished to make a last statement, Knight declared, "I want to give thanks to Yahweh, who is the most high."
The execution began immediately after that. Knight closed his eyes and barely moved as the drugs began entering his system. After about 10 minutes, a medic was called into the room and the inmate was declared dead.