DeSantis Issues Death Warrant for Convicted Officer Killer

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant on Thursday for Billy Leon Kearse, a man convicted of killing a police officer during a traffic stop in 1991. The execution is scheduled to take place by lethal injection on March 3, 2024. This action follows a significant increase in executions in Florida, where 19 executions were carried out in 2025, setting a modern-era record.

Kearse, 53, was found guilty of shooting Officer Danny Parrish during a routine traffic stop in Fort Pierce. On January 18, 1991, Officer Parrish stopped Kearse’s vehicle, which was traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. According to a document filed with the Florida Supreme Court by Attorney General James Uthmeier, Kearse failed to produce a driver’s license and provided several aliases to the officer.

As Officer Parrish attempted to arrest Kearse, a violent struggle ensued. Kearse seized Officer Parrish’s firearm and fired a total of 14 shots, striking the officer 13 times—nine in his body and four in his bulletproof vest. A nearby taxi driver witnessed the incident and alerted authorities using Officer Parrish’s radio. Tragically, Officer Parrish succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to the hospital.

Legal Challenges Ahead

The issuance of a death warrant often initiates a series of legal maneuvers as defense attorneys seek to halt the execution. Kearse’s case is likely to follow this pattern, as legal representatives may challenge the validity of the death penalty in this instance.

In addition to Kearse, Governor DeSantis has signed death warrants for Ronald Heath and Melvin Trotter. Heath, who is 64 years old, is fighting his scheduled execution at the Florida Supreme Court following a ruling from an Alachua County circuit court that denied his request to block the execution. Heath was sentenced to death for the murder of Michael Sheridan in May 1989, who was shot, stabbed, and robbed in a wooded area south of Gainesville. Meanwhile, Heath’s brother, Kenneth Heath, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the same case and is currently serving a life sentence.

Trotter, aged 65, was sentenced to death for the June 1986 murder of Virgie Langford, a 70-year-old woman found dead in her grocery store in Palmetto. She had been brutally stabbed and robbed, highlighting the severity of the crimes that have led to these death sentences.

As Florida continues to escalate the pace of executions, the legal and ethical implications surrounding the death penalty remain a contentious issue. The state’s approach under DeSantis has drawn both support and criticism, reflecting the complexities of capital punishment in contemporary society.