Coverage dated November 12, 2025 to November 13, 2025

Florida ex-Marine executed nearly 50 years after kidnapping, rape, murder of 6-year-old Merritt Island girl

Headline from WOGX Ocala, on the newest of 2 developments

A Florida man convicted of kidnapping a 6-year-old girl from her bedroom and drowning her in a canal more than 40 years ago was put to death on Thursday night.

WOGX Ocala's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Former Marine who killed 6-year-old girl more than 4 decades ago set for execution in Florida

    Headline from FOX 13 Tampa ·

  2. Newest

    Florida ex-Marine executed nearly 50 years after kidnapping, rape, murder of 6-year-old Merritt Island girl

    Headline from WOGX Ocala ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

15 articles, oldest first.

  1. MyNorthwest

    Former Marine who killed 6-year-old girl more than 4 decades ago set for execution in Florida (opens MyNorthwest)

    Published

    MyNorthwest's feed description

    STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A former Marine convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl more than four decades ago is scheduled Thursday to be executed in Florida, which

  2. NBC 6 South Florida

    Ex-Marine who killed 6-year-old girl more than 4 decades ago to be executed in Florida (opens NBC 6 South Florida)

    Published

    NBC 6 South Florida's feed description

    A former Marine convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl more than four decades ago is scheduled Thursday to be executed in Florida, which would be the record...

  3. WSVN Miami

    Former Marine who killed 6-year-old girl more than 4 decades ago set for execution in Florida - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports (opens WSVN Miami)

    Published

    WSVN Miami's feed description

    STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A former Marine convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl more than four decades ago is scheduled Thursday to be executed in

  4. WOGX Ocala

    Florida ex-Marine executed nearly 50 years after kidnapping, rape, murder of 6-year-old Merritt Island girl (opens WOGX Ocala)

    Published

    WOGX Ocala's feed description

    A Florida man convicted of kidnapping a 6-year-old girl from her bedroom and drowning her in a canal more than 40 years ago was put to death on Thursday night.

  5. CBS News

    Florida executes ex-Marine who abducted, raped and killed 6-year-old girl in 1979 (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    A man convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl who was abducted from her bedroom has been executed in Florida, which was the record 16th death sentence carried out under Gov. Ron DeSantis.

  6. Kokomo Tribune

    Man is executed in Florida for the 1979 killing of a 6-year-old girl abducted from her bedroom (opens Kokomo Tribune)

    Published

    Kokomo Tribune's feed description

    Man is executed in Florida for the 1979 killing of a 6-year-old girl abducted from her bedroom.

  7. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

    Floridian executed for ’79 rape, death (opens Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

    Published

    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's feed description

    STARKE, Fla. -- A man convicted of the 1979 killing of a 6-year-old girl who was abducted from her bedroom was put to death Thursday evening in Florida's 16th execution this year.

  8. WFMZ Allentown

    Florida man executed for the 1979 killing of a girl, 6, who was abducted from her bedroom (opens WFMZ Allentown)

    Published

    WFMZ Allentown's feed description

    STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of the 1979 killing a 6-year-old girl who was abducted from her bedroom was put to death Thursday evening in a record 16th

  9. FOX 13 Tampa

    Former Marine executed for the 1979 killing of a girl, 6, who was abducted from her bedroom (opens FOX 13 Tampa)

    Published

    FOX 13 Tampa's feed description

    A man convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl who was abducted from her bedroom has been executed in Florida.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

Florida ex-Marine executed nearly 50 years after kidnapping, rape, murder of 6-year-old Merritt Island girl | Since Then