The state of Florida executed 74-year-old Dusty Ray Spencer at 6:10 p.m. for the 1992 murder of his wife, 40-year-old Karen Spencer.
He is the oldest person to be executed in the state of Florida.
His last words were an apology and a call to his faith.
“Sorry to the family,” Spencer said. “Into thy hands I commit my spirit and my soul. I’m on my way, Lord; I’m on my way. Amen.”
Spencer is Florida’s ninth execution this year, continuing a trend for the state with a record 19 executions in 2025 that shattered the previous record of eight in 2014.
The crime
In December 1991, Spencer called his wife from an Orange County jail. According to court records, Spencer made his wife a promise.
“When I get out, I’m going to finish what I started,” Spencer said.
Weeks prior, Spencer was arrested for a dispute where he choked Karen with one hand while covering her nose and mouth with the other.
Following his arrest, he was released on a $5,000 bail.
On Jan. 4, 1992, Spencer returned to the home and attacked Karen again. Karen’s 17-year-old son, Timothy Johnson, was awakened by the commotion. Johnson reported seeing Spencer on top of Karen, hitting her repeatedly. Johnson intervened, and Spencer responded by hitting him with a clothing iron.
Karen fled the house to seek help from her neighbor while her son attempted to call for help on the telephone.
Spencer fled the scene, and authorities were unable to locate him for the next two weeks.
On Jan. 18, 1992, Spencer returned to the residence and attacked Karen.
Johnson was once again awakened by commotion from Karen and Spencer. He quickly retrieved a rifle and went looking for the two. Johnson reported finding Spencer in the backyard, where he was hitting Karen with a brick.
Johnson went to shoot Spencer, but the gun jammed. He hit Spencer over the head with the stock of the gun, breaking it. However, the strike wasn’t enough to stop Spencer, who continued to attack Karen, bashing her head into the concrete wall of the house.
As Johnson attempted to carry his mother away, Spencer threatened him with a rifle. Johnson ran to a neighbor’s house to get help.
Karen was found dead when police arrived on scene. She had been stabbed four or five times in the chest and had cuts on her face and arms. She had also suffered blunt force trauma to the back of her head.
The punishment
Spencer was charged with four counts: first-degree premeditated murder, aggravated assault, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery. The first two counts stem from the Jan. 18 murder, while the last two come from the incident two weeks prior.
When the jury convicted Spencer of first-degree murder Nov. 7, 1992, they recommended the death sentence in a 7-5 vote.
Spencer’s attorneys made several appeals, arguing his liver disease would make lethal injection cruel and unusual punishment.
Spencer’s appeals were rejected by the Florida Supreme Court last week.
A final appeal was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday afternoon.
Day of the execution
On a warm Florida evening, roughly 60 people gathered on the lawn outside Florida State Prison to protest Spencer’s execution on Thursday.
Those in the crowd sported pins, shirts and signs opposing Spencer’s execution and the death penalty as a whole.
The crowd took part in a vigil, leading choruses of religious songs like “Take my Hand” and “Amazing Grace.”
Rev. Phil Egitto of Our Lady of Lourdes guided most of the service.
Egitto said Spencer was a man of faith for decades in prison, and he served as proof God doesn’t abandon his children. Egitto added that while those who support the death penalty may believe criminals can never change, faith reminds him the opposite, and transformation is always possible.
“Every human life is more complicated than a single chapter,” Egitto said. “Every human life contains both tragedy and possibility. Every human life remains sacred.”
Shortly after his speech, Egitto instructed protesters to walk forward and ring a bell. He said each echoing clang was to remind Spencer they were with him. The last woman in line stopped, recognized Spencer’s service in the Marine Corps and saluted before she delivered the final ring.
Grace Hanna, the executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said Spencer was a veteran who had become a man of faith in prison. Killing him only continues a cycle of violence, she added.
“He’ll be the 10th veteran executed under Governor DeSantis,” Hanna said.
Eight veterans were executed in Florida last year.
Florida prides itself on taking care of its veterans, Hanna said, and yet the state executed another on Thursday. She added that Spencer was chronically ill, didn’t harm anyone in prison and was at an age where the death penalty feels even more unnecessary.
“It’s pointless,” Hanna said. “It’s always pointless, especially so in situations like this.”
Across from the crowd of opposition laid an empty lawn designated for supporters of the execution.
The state of Florida is scheduled to execute 74-year-old Dennis Sochor on July 14. It will be the state’s 10th execution this year.
Contact Logan McBride at lmcbride@alligator.org. Follow him on X @logandmcbride.
Logan McBride is a fourth-year journalism student and this summer's general assignment reporter. He previously served as a reporter for the city/county commission, K-12 education and track & field. Logan enjoys watching sports, going to the movies and playing basketball. When he's not working, you can find him on adventures with his friends, cuddling with his cat Max, or with his girlfriend.
