74-year-old man becomes oldest inmate executed in modern Florida history

Dusty Ray Spencer was convicted of the 1992 stabbing death of his wife. Another 74-year-old Florida inmate, Dennis Sochor, is scheduled to be executed July 14.

MIAMI — A 74-year-old man convicted of fatally stabbing his wife became the oldest person executed in Florida’s modern history on Thursday, and the state is scheduled to execute another 74-year-old inmate next month.

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Dusty Ray Spencer was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. followinga three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. Spencer was convicted of the 1992 stabbing death of his wife, Karen.

The curtain to the death chamber went up promptly at the 6 p.m. execution time and the warden asked Spencer if he had any statement as he lay strapped to a metal table with an IV inserted in his arm.