TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant for James Ford, a man convicted of the brutal murders of Greg and Kimberly Malnory nearly 30 years ago. Ford is scheduled to be executed on February 13 at Florida State Prison, marking the state’s first planned execution of 2025.
The Malnory couple’s bodies were discovered at the South Florida Sod Farm in a secluded area of Charlotte County on April 7, 1997. They had been viciously attacked, with both sustaining multiple blunt force head injuries. Tragically, Kimberly had also been sexually assaulted. Her lifeless body was found near their vehicle, where their 22-month-old child had been abandoned for over 18 hours, exposed to the elements and covered in her mother’s blood.
In addition to the murders, Ford was convicted of sexual assault and child abuse in relation to the heinous crimes.
Ford’s impending execution is significant as it would be the first in Florida in 2025. The state saw a decline in executions in the previous year, with only one individual put to death in 2024, in contrast to six executions in 2023 when Governor DeSantis was actively pursuing the Republican presidential nomination. Notably, during the three years preceding 2024, Governor DeSantis had refrained from authorizing any executions.
This development underscores the ongoing debate surrounding the use of capital punishment in the state of Florida and the justice system’s response to heinous crimes such as the Malnory murders.
___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
