Florida is scheduled to carry out the execution of 77-year-old Curtis Wilkie Beasley on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, following his conviction in the 1995 killing of Carolyn Monfort in Polk County.
Beasley was convicted of first-degree murder, robbery and grand theft auto in connection with Monfort’s death. If the execution proceeds, he will become the 16th person executed in Florida this year and the seventh prisoner over age 70 put to death by the state in 2026.
Curtis Beasley Convicted in 1995 Murder of Carolyn Monfort
According to court records, Beasley was staying at Monfort’s home in Dundee in August 1995 while performing pressure-washing and painting work at nearby apartments owned by her son-in-law.
Monfort, 62, was later found dead inside the laundry room of her home after family members became concerned when they could not reach her for two days. Investigators reported that she had suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to her head. A hammer head wrapped in towels was also found near her body.
Authorities began looking for Beasley after a witness reported seeing him driving Monfort’s vehicle. Investigators later determined that he had traveled to Miami before moving to Alabama, where police arrested him while he was working for an electrical company under an assumed name.
Beasley was convicted in 1998 and sentenced to death. Court records indicate that he continued to maintain his innocence during the legal proceedings.
Appeals Focus on Age and Cognitive Decline
Beasley’s attorneys challenged the planned execution, arguing that his advanced age and reported cognitive decline raise constitutional concerns about carrying out the death sentence.
The Florida Supreme Court rejected those arguments last week, allowing the execution date to remain in place. A final appeal is still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
If carried out, Beasley is scheduled to receive a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Florida Continues a High Number of Executions in 2026
Beasley’s scheduled execution comes during a year in which Florida has carried out a significant number of executions. If completed, it would bring the state’s total to 16 executions in 2026.
Florida carried out 19 executions in 2025, the state’s highest annual total since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The state also carried out two executions on the same day in July 2026.
Additional executions are scheduled in Florida later this year, including those involving William Lee Thompson and William Reaves, according to current execution schedules.
