Florida is poised to carry out its twelfth execution of 2025, setting a new and controversial record for capital punishment under Governor Ron DeSantis. David Pittman, a 63-year-old man convicted of a brutal triple homicide and arson, is scheduled to be put to death on September 17. This milestone comes as the state continues to accelerate its use of the death penalty, outpacing every other state in the nation and renewing debate over the governor’s approach to justice.
Pittman’s case stretches back more than three decades. In May 1990, during a tumultuous divorce, he went to the Polk County home of his estranged wife’s parents, Clarence and Barbara Knowles. According to court records cited by the Associated Press, Pittman fatally stabbed the couple and their younger daughter, Bonnie, before setting their house ablaze. He then stole Bonnie Knowles’ car and torched it as well. Witnesses later identified Pittman fleeing from the burning vehicle, and a jailhouse informant testified that Pittman admitted to the killings. Pittman was convicted in 1991 on three counts of first-degree murder, as well as arson and grand theft.
Pittman’s execution is not an isolated incident. Florida has already executed nine people this year—more than any other U.S. state, according to the Associated Press. By comparison, Texas and South Carolina, which rank second, have each carried out four executions in 2025. Two more men, Kayle Bates and Curtis Windom, are also set to be executed in Florida before the end of August. If all scheduled executions proceed, Florida will have carried out twelve executions in a single year, smashing its previous record of eight in 2014, set since the death penalty was reinstated in the state in 1976.
The surge in executions has not gone unnoticed. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Governor Ron DeSantis has authorized more executions in a single year than any other governor in Florida’s history. Yet the reasons behind his decisions remain opaque. As the Tampa Bay Times notes, "How and why he chooses which prisoners die is unclear." This lack of transparency has fueled criticism from both opponents and supporters of the death penalty, who are left to speculate about the criteria guiding the governor’s hand.
Nationally, the United States has executed 28 people so far in 2025, surpassing last year’s total of 25 and tying the number from 2015. Florida’s aggressive pace is a significant driver of this increase. The Associated Press points out that, with its current tally, Florida has already exceeded the execution rates of every other state, making it a focal point in the broader national discussion about the future of capital punishment.
The details of Pittman’s crimes are harrowing. During the divorce from his wife Marie, Pittman reportedly targeted her family in a violent spree. Prosecutors argued that the murders were premeditated, citing both the brutality of the attacks and Pittman’s efforts to destroy evidence by setting the scene on fire. The theft and subsequent arson of Bonnie Knowles’ car further underscored the calculated nature of the crime. A witness saw Pittman running from the burning vehicle, and the testimony of a jailhouse informant, who claimed Pittman confessed to the killings, was pivotal in securing his conviction.
Despite the looming execution date, Pittman’s legal journey is not quite over. The Associated Press reports that the Florida Supreme Court is scheduled to hear an appeal in his case, and it is likely that his attorneys will also seek relief from the U.S. Supreme Court. These last-minute legal maneuvers are common in capital cases, though they rarely halt scheduled executions in Florida.
As Florida’s execution rate climbs, the state’s approach to capital punishment has become a flashpoint in both local and national politics. Supporters of the death penalty argue that the surge in executions reflects a tough-on-crime philosophy that prioritizes justice for victims and their families. They point to the heinous nature of crimes like Pittman’s as justification for swift and certain punishment. Opponents, however, see a system that is both secretive and prone to error, with life-and-death decisions made behind closed doors. They question the fairness of the process and the criteria used to select which inmates are executed, especially given the governor’s unprecedented pace.
Governor DeSantis, a Republican who has made law and order a central theme of his administration, has not publicly detailed the process by which he selects cases for execution. The Tampa Bay Times underscores this ambiguity, writing, "The specific criteria or reasons Governor DeSantis uses to choose which prisoners to execute remain unclear." This lack of clarity has led to speculation and concern among legal experts, advocates, and the families of those on death row.
Florida’s record-breaking year comes at a time when the national conversation around the death penalty is shifting. While some states have moved to abolish or severely restrict capital punishment in recent years, Florida has gone in the opposite direction. The state’s aggressive use of the death penalty stands in stark contrast to trends elsewhere, raising questions about the consistency and fairness of justice across the country.
For families of victims, the prospect of closure is often weighed against the emotional toll of lengthy legal battles and the public spectacle of executions. Some see the death penalty as a necessary measure of justice, while others are troubled by the possibility of wrongful convictions or the uneven application of the law. The high-profile nature of cases like Pittman’s only amplifies these debates, shining a spotlight on the broader implications of Florida’s approach.
Meanwhile, the legal community continues to grapple with the complexities of capital punishment. Appeals and last-minute stays are a routine part of the process, but they rarely change outcomes in a state as committed to the death penalty as Florida. The state’s Supreme Court, and potentially the U.S. Supreme Court, will have the final say in Pittman’s fate, but history suggests that scheduled executions are rarely postponed or overturned at this late stage.
As September 17 approaches, all eyes will be on Florida to see whether the state continues its record-breaking streak. For now, the only certainty is that the debate over the death penalty—its fairness, its effectiveness, and its place in modern society—shows no signs of abating. With each execution, Florida is not just making history; it is forcing the nation to confront some of the most difficult questions about crime and punishment in America.
The case of David Pittman, and the broader trends in Florida, serve as a stark reminder that the death penalty remains one of the most contentious and emotionally charged issues in the country’s criminal justice system.
