Florida to execute man for 2000 murder of a mother and 4-year-old girl

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Published  May 21, 2026 10:09 AM EDT
Associated Press

Richard Knight, 47, is scheduled to receive a three-drug lethal injection Thursday evening at Florida State Prison. Courtesy: Florida Department of Corrections

The Brief

    • A Florida man convicted of killing two people is scheduled to face the death penalty Thursday evening. 
    • The scheduled Richard Knight execution in Florida comes after his final state-level appeals were turned down last Friday. 
    • The planned injection would mark the seventh execution in the state during the current year. 

STARKE, Fla. - A man convicted of the stabbing deaths of his cousin's girlfriend and a 4-year-old girl is scheduled to be executed Thursday evening at Florida State Prison. 

Richard Knight, 47, is slated to receive a three-drug lethal injection starting at 6 p.m. near Starke. 

Florida death penalty history

What we know:

Knight was sentenced to death following his 2006 conviction on two counts of first-degree murder for killing Odessia Stephens and her 4-year-old child, Hanessia Mullings. Court records show Knight was living in Coral Springs near Fort Lauderdale with his cousin, Stephens and the young girl in June 2000. 

Stephens and Knight argued frequently about his living arrangements, and court officials said Knight attacked the mother and child after Stephens told him he had to move out. While held at the Broward County Jail, Knight confessed to the killings to an inmate who later testified against him. 

Pending federal court decisions

What we don't know:

Officials have not announced whether the U.S. Supreme Court will step in, as a final appeal remains pending before the nation's highest court. It is also unclear exactly how long the execution execution protocol will take once the three-drug injection begins at 6 p.m.. 

Last appeals rejected

The backstory:

The Florida Supreme Court denied Knight's legal appeals last Friday. The state's highest court turned away his claims regarding a fingerprint found on a knife at the scene, noting that the print was already addressed during his 2006 trial. 

The justices also rejected challenges targeting the state's warrant process and execution protocols. The execution marks the seventh in Florida this year, following a record-setting 19 executions overseen by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2025. 

National execution numbers

By the numbers:

  • 19: The record number of executions carried out by Florida in 2025. 
  • 47: The total number of people executed across the United States in 2025. 
  • 5: The number of executions in Alabama, South Carolina and Texas, which tied for second place in 2025. 

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Florida court records and state officials, who detailed Knight's initial 2006 trial, jailhouse confession, and the subsequent rulings from the Florida Supreme Court.

FloridaCrime and Public Safety