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After nearly four decades on death row, 65-year-old Melvin Trotter is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Tuesday evening.
Trotter was convicted of the 1986 murder of Virgie Langford, a 70-year-old grocery store owner in Palmetto, Florida.
The killing occurred during a robbery of Langford’s store, leading to a death sentence that has been the subject of lengthy legal appeals for nearly 40 years.
Trotter’s execution marks the fourth in the United States so far in 2026, following recent procedures in Oklahoma, Texas, and another in Florida.
This continues a trend of high execution rates in Florida, which led the nation in 2025 by carrying out 19 of the country’s 47 total executions.
While lethal injection remains the most common method, other states have recently utilised firing squads and nitrogen hypoxia, the latter of which has drawn sharp criticism from international human rights experts.
The use of capital punishment remains a deeply divisive issue across the country.
Currently, 23 states have abolished the death penalty, and three others maintain official moratoriums.
Despite this, there is a significant push from the federal level to expand the practice; President Donald Trump has remained a vocal advocate for the death penalty, particularly for what he describes as “the vilest crimes.”
As the 6:00 pm execution time approaches in Raiford, Trotter’s case serves as a stark reminder of the long-standing debate over the speed of justice and the morality of state-sanctioned death.
Following record-breaking numbers last year, 2026 is shaping up to be another active year for states that continue to uphold capital punishment, with Florida remaining at the centre of the national conversation.
