Florida man set to be executed for 1990 double murder

In Florida, Victor Tony Jones, a 64-year-old man, is facing execution resulting from a robbery and double murder that occurred in December 1990. During the incident, Jones, who was a new employee at the Miami-Dade business owned by the married couple Matilda and Jacob Nestor, murdered them by stabbing Matilda in the neck and Jacob in the chest. After committing the crime, Jones was shot himself and found with the Nestors' belongings. He was convicted in 1993 on two counts of first-degree murder, receiving a death sentence. His execution is scheduled for September 30, 2025, under a death warrant signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, marking a significant moment as it extends Florida's record for executions in a single year. This execution will be the 13th carried out in 2025, surpassing the previous high of eight executions in 2014. There are additional executions planned in the state, including Samuel Lee Smithers and Norman Mearle Grim Jr. who are set for execution in October. Jones’s attempt to appeal based on grounds of intellectual disability and past abuse were denied by the state courts, following a history of litigation around his claims. This underscores ongoing debates surrounding the application and ethics of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving claims of mental incapacity and historical injustices.