Florida Inmate Faces Execution for 2000 Mother-and-Daughter Murders
Florida is preparing to carry out its seventh execution of 2026 as a death row inmate convicted of murdering a woman and her young daughter more than two decades ago is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison.
The inmate, Richard Knight, 47, was sentenced to death for the 2000 killings of Odessia Stephens and her 4-year-old daughter, Hanessia Mullings, in Coral Springs, Florida. Authorities said the murders occurred after a dispute in which Stephens reportedly asked Knight to move out of the home where he had been staying.
Brutal Attack Led to Death Sentence
Investigators said Knight attacked Stephens during an argument, repeatedly stabbing her before turning his attention to her young daughter. Prosecutors described the crime as especially violent, noting that both victims suffered fatal injuries during the attack.
Following the killings, Knight was arrested and later confessed while in custody. A jury eventually convicted him of the murders, and he received a death sentence in 2007. Multiple appeals over the years failed to overturn the conviction or sentence.
Courts Reject Final Challenges
In recent weeks, Florida’s highest court rejected Knight’s latest appeals, dismissing arguments related to newly presented evidence and challenges to the state’s execution procedures.
Attorneys continue to pursue a final appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking a stay of execution. Unless a last-minute court order is issued, the execution is expected to proceed using Florida’s three-drug lethal injection protocol.
Florida Continues High Pace of Executions
The scheduled execution reflects Florida’s continued use of capital punishment. The state recorded a historic number of executions in 2025 and has remained among the most active states in carrying out death sentences in 2026.
Another execution is already planned in Florida for early June involving a separate murder case, highlighting the state’s ongoing enforcement of capital punishment rulings.
