Florida Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Halt Execution of Man Convicted in 1990 Miami-Dade Murders

The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block the upcoming execution of Victor Tony Jones, convicted in the 1990 murders of a Miami-Dade couple. The justices rejected arguments that childhood abuse Jones suffered at a notorious state reform school should reduce his sentence.

Jones, 64, is set to be executed Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant on Aug. 29, marking what would be the 13th execution in Florida this year—a modern-era record.

Abuse Claims Rejected

Jones’ attorneys argued that “newly discovered evidence” about his abuse at the now-closed Okeechobee School warranted a retrial that could result in a life sentence. Earlier this year, the state compensated Jones and hundreds of other men who reported abuse at Okeechobee and the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys.

But in a 5-1 decision, the court ruled the claims were procedurally barred.

“The alleged abuse occurred nearly 50 years ago—and roughly 15 years before his trial—yet Jones did not raise it at trial or in any prior postconviction proceeding,” the opinion stated.

The justices added that any evidence presented now would derive from abuse Jones had long been aware of, not from the state’s 2025 compensation letter. Chief Justice Carlos Muniz and Justices John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans, Renatha Francis, and Meredith Sasso backed the opinion. Justice Jorge Labarga dissented, while Justice Charles Canady was recused.

Details of the 1990 Crime

Jones was sentenced to death for killing his employers, Matilda Nestor, 66, and Jacob Nestor, 67, at their Miami-Dade business in December 1990. Court records say Jones stabbed Matilda in the neck, severing her aorta, and stabbed Jacob in the chest, puncturing his heart. Before dying, Jacob managed to shoot Jones in the forehead.

Police found Jones locked inside the business with the couple’s wallets, keys, and belongings. At the hospital, Jones admitted to a nurse that he killed the couple because they owed him money.

Broader Legal Battles

Jones’ defense team also argued that he has an intellectual disability and that executing him would violate the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The court rejected those claims as well. His attorneys are expected to file a final appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.

Calls for Clemency

The Florida Catholic Conference urged Gov. DeSantis to commute Jones’ sentence to life without parole.

“We must call attention to the fact that Mr. Jones is a survivor of abuse at the hand of the state at the Okeechobee School,” wrote Michael Sheedy, the conference’s executive director. “It cannot be that with one hand the state pays out compensation … while at the same time with its other hand puts one of these victims to death.”

Florida’s Record Execution Year

The state has already executed 12 inmates in 2025, surpassing its previous modern-era record of eight executions in both 1984 and 2014. The modern era refers to the period since 1976, when the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty.

Recent executions this year include: