Chadwick Willacy is scheduled for execution in Florida on April 21, 2026. Legal appeals continue as the case draws national attention.
Chadwick Willacy is scheduled for execution in Florida tomorrow, April 21, 2026. Stay updated on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding his final application for a stay.
The state of Florida is moving forward with the execution of 58-year-old Chadwick “Khalil” Willacy, scheduled to take place tomorrow evening, April 21, 2026. Following decades of legal maneuvers and multiple sentencing phases, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Willacy’s death warrant in mid-March, setting the stage for what would be the state’s sixth execution of the year. Despite a flurry of last-minute petitions regarding public records and lethal injection protocols, the Florida Supreme Court has cleared the way for the sentence to be carried out.
Final Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court
As of Monday afternoon, the only remaining hurdle for the state is a pending application for a stay of execution filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on April 17. Willacy’s defense team, led by Ann Marie Mirialakis, argues that the execution should be halted until the Court can address “compelling constitutional questions” regarding the Eighth Amendment.
The Florida Supreme Court recently denied Willacy’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus and his requests for an in-camera inspection of records related to the state’s lethal injection drugs. The court’s per curiam opinion stated that the requests were not connected to a “colorable claim for relief,” effectively dismissing his final state-level challenges.
What We Know So Far
-
Execution Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
-
Location: Florida State Prison, Raiford, FL.
-
Method: Lethal injection.
-
The Crime: Willacy was convicted of the 1990 murder of his neighbor, Marlys Sather, in Palm Bay.
-
Current Status: Awaiting a final ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on a stay of execution.
A Decades-Long Legal Odyssey
The case against Chadwick Willacy dates back over 30 years to a horrific burglary and murder that shocked the Palm Bay community. After being caught in the act of burglarizing Sather’s home, Willacy was convicted of binding, bludgeoning, and setting the victim on fire.
The road to the death chamber has been complex; his original 1991 death sentence was overturned due to errors in jury selection. During a 2002 resentencing, a second jury recommended death by an 11-1 vote. In recent years, his attorneys have focused heavily on his history of severe substance use disorder and addiction, arguing that these mitigating factors were never properly weighed by the court.
Advocacy and Opposition
Groups like Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) have been vocal in their opposition to the execution, citing concerns over the transparency of Florida’s execution protocols and the reliability of a sentence that saw significant shifts in mitigation findings over the decades. Supporters of the sentence, however, point to the “especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel” nature of the crime as justification for the ultimate penalty.
The execution is scheduled to proceed at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow unless a federal intervention occurs. Prison officials have already begun the standard 24-hour countdown and preparation protocols at the Florida State Prison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Chadwick Willacy being executed? He was convicted of the 1990 murder of Marlys Sather, which included charges of first-degree murder, burglary, and arson.
Has the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the execution? As of Monday evening, April 20, the U.S. Supreme Court has not issued a ruling on the application for a stay of execution. The execution remains on schedule.
What is the “Execution in the Dark” controversy? This refers to arguments made by Willacy’s defense that the state has withheld critical records regarding the source and efficacy of the lethal injection drugs intended for use in his execution.
The eyes of the nation’s legal community are now on Washington D.C., as Justice Clarence Thomas considers the final plea for a stay. We will provide immediate updates if the Supreme Court issues a stay or if the execution proceeds as planned.
Bookmark this page — we will update as soon as the SCOTUS ruling is released or the execution is concluded.
Share this story with someone who needs to know.