Florida Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence for 1992 Triple Murderer Curtis Windom

The Florida Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Curtis Windom, rejecting his final appeals and paving the way for his execution on August 28, 2025.

In a decision issued Thursday, justices affirmed the lower court’s denial of Windom’s fifth motion for postconviction relief. The court also dismissed his petition for a writ of habeas corpus and denied his requests for a stay of execution and oral arguments.

Conviction and Crimes

Windom, now 66, was convicted in 1992 of three counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder.

His crimes began on February 7, 1992, over an alleged $2,000 debt. During a planned shooting spree, Windom killed his girlfriend Valerie Davis, her mother Mary Lubin, and Johnnie Lee. He also attempted to kill Kenneth Williams.

In its original 1995 ruling, the court described the crimes as involving “horrific facts.” His convictions and sentences have been repeatedly upheld in decades of appeals.

Governor Signs Death Warrant

Governor Ron DeSantis signed Windom’s death warrant on July 29, 2025, setting the execution date.

In response, Windom’s legal team filed two claims:

That he had unconstitutionally ineffective trial counsel.
That the expedited court schedule violated his right to due process.

The justices rejected both arguments, calling them “untimely, procedurally barred, and meritless.” They noted similar ineffective counsel claims had already been litigated and denied since 2004. The ruling said the latest claims were simply a “repacking” of arguments raised before.

Due Process and New Evidence Claims

Windom’s attorneys also argued the accelerated schedule—which gave them less than a week to file motions—violated due process. The court disagreed, stressing that the case had been “thoroughly and conscientiously reviewed at every stage” for more than 30 years.

His lawyers further raised a claim of newly discovered evidence, asserting they only recently learned that some victims’ family members had expressed a wish to spare his life during a 2013 clemency hearing.

The court ruled the information could have been uncovered years earlier and, even if considered new evidence, would not outweigh the “overwhelming aggravating factors” in the case.

Execution Scheduled

With all legal avenues now exhausted, Windom’s execution is set to move forward as planned. The ruling closes a decades-long legal battle marked by repeated but unsuccessful state and federal appeals.