Florida Schedules Second Execution of 2026 for Convicted Murderer
Florida is preparing to carry out its second execution of 2026, with Melvin Trotter scheduled to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison. The 65-year-old was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1986 killing of shop owner Virgie Langford during a robbery in Palmetto.
Decades-Long Legal Battle Nears Conclusion
Melvin Trotter's case has spanned nearly four decades through Florida's legal system. Originally sentenced to death in 1987, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a new sentencing in 1993 after finding errors in the initial trial court proceedings. Trotter received his current death sentence that same year and has remained on death row since.
His execution is scheduled for 6 PM local time (11 PM UK time) today at Florida State Prison in Starke. The procedure will involve a three-drug lethal injection protocol that has become standard in Florida executions.
Final Appeals and Legal Arguments
Trotter's legal team has mounted multiple challenges to prevent the execution, arguing that Florida corrections officials have mismanaged death penalty protocols and that his age should exempt him from capital punishment. Despite these efforts, the Florida Supreme Court has denied all appeals.
A final bid for sentence commutation remained pending at the US Supreme Court with just hours remaining before the scheduled execution. This represents Trotter's last possible legal avenue to avoid the death penalty after nearly forty years of appeals and legal proceedings.
The 1986 Murder Case Details
Court records reveal chilling details about the crime that led to Trotter's conviction. Virgie Langford was attacked at her store, where she was both strangled and stabbed. A truck driver discovered her alive after the assault, and she was able to provide a description of her attacker before dying at the hospital.
Key evidence in the case included Langford's identification of her assailant as wearing a Tropicana employee badge with "Melvin" displayed on it. Police later recovered a T-shirt with Langford's blood type at Trotter's residence and found his handprint on a meat cooler inside the store.
Florida's Accelerated Execution Schedule
This execution follows Florida's first execution of 2026, which involved Ronald Palmer Heath, convicted of killing traveling salesperson Michael Sheridan in 1989. The state has already scheduled two additional executions for next month, continuing an aggressive capital punishment schedule.
Under Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida executed a record-breaking nineteen people in 2025, more than double the previous annual record of eight executions. This represents the highest number of executions in any single year since the United States reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
Broader Context of Capital Punishment
The case highlights Florida's position as one of America's most active death penalty states. With multiple executions already scheduled and a governor who has overseen unprecedented execution numbers, Florida continues to maintain an aggressive approach to capital punishment compared to other states.
Legal experts note that Trotter's case demonstrates both the lengthy appeals process typical in death penalty cases and the current administration's determination to carry out sentences despite defense arguments about protocol management and age considerations.
