STARKE, Fla. (PulseWire) — A former Marine, Bryan Frederick Jennings, convicted of murdering 6-year-old Rebecca Kunash over four decades ago, is scheduled to be executed today at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison, pending any last-minute reprieve. His execution will mark the 16th under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, setting a new record for the number of executions in a single year in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Jennings, now 66, was initially sentenced to death for his brutal crime in 1979, but his convictions were overturned twice before a third trial in 1986 resulted in a final death sentence.
Jennings' last attempt at appeal was turned down by the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, and he is one of three executions scheduled across the country this week. Contrary to Jennings’ fate, the Governor of Oklahoma recently spared another death-row inmate just before his execution.
Court documents recount the tragic events on May 11, 1979, when Jennings, on a break from military service, abducted Kunash from her home while her parents were elsewhere. Testimonies revealed the horrific details of the crime as Jennings raped the girl before killing her and disposing of her body in a canal.
Following significant evidence that linked Jennings to the crime scene, including shoe prints and fingerprints, he was arrested on a traffic warrant later the same day. His legal battle continued for decades, with numerous appeals claiming inadequate legal representation and a lack of a clemency hearing since 1988. Advocates for alternatives to the death penalty, including Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, have criticized the process, arguing it has been overly politicized under DeSantis's administration.
“This system has become unrecognizable,” stated Maria DeLiberato from the advocacy group. Despite the controversies surrounding his case, Governor DeSantis maintains his focus on delivering justice to the families of victims, stating, 'Justice delayed is justice denied.' With Jennings' execution today, the year’s total could rise to 18, making Florida's execution count for 2025 one of the highest in the country.
Jennings' last attempt at appeal was turned down by the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, and he is one of three executions scheduled across the country this week. Contrary to Jennings’ fate, the Governor of Oklahoma recently spared another death-row inmate just before his execution.
Court documents recount the tragic events on May 11, 1979, when Jennings, on a break from military service, abducted Kunash from her home while her parents were elsewhere. Testimonies revealed the horrific details of the crime as Jennings raped the girl before killing her and disposing of her body in a canal.
Following significant evidence that linked Jennings to the crime scene, including shoe prints and fingerprints, he was arrested on a traffic warrant later the same day. His legal battle continued for decades, with numerous appeals claiming inadequate legal representation and a lack of a clemency hearing since 1988. Advocates for alternatives to the death penalty, including Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, have criticized the process, arguing it has been overly politicized under DeSantis's administration.
“This system has become unrecognizable,” stated Maria DeLiberato from the advocacy group. Despite the controversies surrounding his case, Governor DeSantis maintains his focus on delivering justice to the families of victims, stating, 'Justice delayed is justice denied.' With Jennings' execution today, the year’s total could rise to 18, making Florida's execution count for 2025 one of the highest in the country.
