Florida executed Jeffrey Hutchinson, a 62-year-old U.S. Army combat veteran, on Wednesday evening for the 1998 murders of his girlfriend and her three young children. The execution took place at Florida State Prison in Starke, marking the fourth execution carried out in the state this year.

Hutchinson, who served eight years in the Army and was once part of an elite Ranger unit, was convicted in 2001 for the shotgun killings of 28-year-old Renee Flaherty and her children—Geoffrey, 9; Amanda, 7; and Logan, 4—in their Daytona Beach apartment.

The lethal injection began at 8:00 p.m., and Hutchinson was pronounced dead at 8:15 p.m., according to a statement from the Florida Department of Corrections. No final words were reported.

Brutal Crime and Conviction

Prosecutors said Hutchinson had argued with Flaherty shortly before the murders. He was arrested at the scene with gunshot residue on his hands. Though Hutchinson consistently maintained his innocence, claiming that two unknown intruders were responsible and alleging a government conspiracy tied to his Gulf War activism, a jury found him guilty after less than a day of deliberations.

The case drew attention not only for its brutality but also for Hutchinson’s military background and his claims of persecution. His defense team argued that the murders were linked to his outspokenness about illnesses suffered by Gulf War veterans, a claim never substantiated by evidence.

Legal Appeals and Mental Health Concerns

Over the years, Hutchinson’s legal team filed numerous appeals, citing his declining mental health and conditions including Gulf War Illness and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Attorneys argued that these impairments rendered him unfit for execution under the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

The courts rejected these claims, most recently on April 27, 2025, when the Florida Supreme Court declined to stay the execution. The U.S. Supreme Court also denied a final appeal.

Information about Florida’s capital punishment laws and clemency process can be found on the Florida Commission on Offender Review.

State Response and Context

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Hutchinson’s death warrant earlier this year. His administration has overseen an increased pace of executions. Hutchinson was the fourth person executed in Florida in 2025, with another execution scheduled for May 15.

The state’s use of capital punishment remains controversial. Supporters argue it serves as justice for the most heinous crimes, while critics point to the risk of executing individuals with mental illnesses or unresolved legal issues.

Florida remains one of the leading states in the U.S. for death row populations. As of May 2025.

Conclusion

The execution of Jeffrey Hutchinson closes a decades-long legal chapter in one of Florida’s more chilling murder cases. While the state insists that justice has been served, the case continues to raise questions about mental health, military trauma, and the criminal justice system’s handling of complex defendants.