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ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida man convicted of killing a grocery store owner was executed Tuesday, marking the second execution in the state this year.
His death comes amid a recent surge of executions under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
What we know:
Melvin Trotter, 65, was put to death at Florida State Prison near Starke at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday by a three-drug lethal injection for the 1986 killing of 70-year-old Virgie Langford. Trotter declined a last statement. Officials said he began breathing heavily and twitching about a minute after the drugs were administered, with movements slowing shortly thereafter. A medic confirmed Trotter dead at 6:15 p.m.
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Trotter was convicted of first-degree murder in 1987 and sentenced to death. After the Florida Supreme Court found errors in handling aggravating factors, he was resentenced to death in 1993. His appeals, including a final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, were denied.
Florida has carried out 21 executions so far in 2025 and 2026, with Trotter’s being the second this year. Texas and Oklahoma have each conducted one execution in 2026. Two additional Florida executions are scheduled for March.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether Trotter’s age or health affected the execution process. Questions about the state’s lethal injection protocol persist, though officials said all procedures were followed.
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Some details about how Florida will address Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s concerns over potential "maladministration" of lethal drugs have not yet been clarified.
The backstory:
Trotter killed Langford on June 16, 1986, at her store in Palmetto near Tampa Bay. A truck driver found her bleeding but alive, and she gave authorities key details identifying her attacker, including that he wore a Tropicana employee badge with the name "Melvin." Police later found a blood-stained T-shirt at Trotter’s home and his handprint on a meat cooler at the store.
Big picture view:
Florida has seen an unprecedented surge in executions under Gov. DeSantis, with 19 in 2025 alone—the most in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Nationally, 47 people were executed in 2025, with Florida leading all states. The state uses a three-drug combination including a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart.
The Source: This story was written based on reporting by the Associated Press.