A death row inmate convicted of killing his neighbor by burning her alive has been executed more than 35 years later, but used his last words to maintain his innocence. Chadwick Scott Willacy was just 22 when he was handed the death penalty for the murder of Marlys Sather, 56, in September 1990.
In a statement before his execution, where he received a lethal three-drug injection, Willacy, now 58, declared that he was innocent and said he would never kill his 'friend'. He also apologized to his own family and friends, and urged his 'brothers on the row' to stay strong. Willacy said in his final moments: 'To the victim's family, I hope this brings you peace. If it does, that's good. But this is not right.'
The state of Florida pronounced him dead at 6:15 p.m., according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, Sather's family released their own statement, saying they had 'waited 36.5 years for justice.' They said the 'pain has been unbearable without her with us every day.' The statement continued: 'Our mother, Marlys Mae Sather should be remembered as a beautiful and loving daughter, wife, mother of three, grandmother of five, great grandmother of five, aunt, cousin and friend.' The statement also noted that Sather had lost her husband to cancer 'just weeks before she was murdered.' 'She was a new widow trying to take one day at a time,' it read. 'We miss her so much every day.'
Details of the Crime
On September 5, 1990, court records reveal that Willacy broke into Sather's home in Palm Bay, Florida, while she was at work. However, when the victim returned to the property during her lunch break, she was struck on the head by Willacy, fracturing her skull, before having her hands and ankles bound, investigators said. Records state Willacy then attempted to strangle the victim with a phone cord but failed. He then covered her in petrol and set her on fire. Despite the severe head injury and strangulation, an autopsy found that Sather died from smoke inhalation. Therefore, it was ruled that she was still alive when she was set alight. Officials say Willacy also stole Sather's car, items from her home and used her ATM card to withdraw cash.
Evidence Against Willacy
In contrast to Willacy's claims of innocence, law enforcement officers say they found his fingerprints on a fan and a gas can taken from her garage during the investigation. Witnesses also confirmed seeing a man matching Willacy's description near the victim's house, and driving her car, on the day she was murdered. Adding to the evidence against him, Willacy's girlfriend told authorities she found a woman's check register in his rubbish. Police identified it as belonging to Sather and subsequently arrested him. Later, they found clothes with blood matching Sather's blood type at Willacy's property.
Execution and Context
Willacy's final sentence was for first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and arson, after a 9-3 jury vote recommended the death penalty. He was incarcerated at Florida State Prison in 1991. He becomes Florida's fifth execution of the year, after the state carried out a record 19 in 2025. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. The previous high was set in 2014 with a much lower eight executions. The three-drug injection contains anaesthetic, a paralytic and potassium acetate, which stops the heart. It's the standard combination in Florida's lethal injections.
