Florida is scheduled to execute William Frances Silvia by lethal injection at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, at Florida State Prison in Raiford. Silvia, 61, was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in the 2006 shooting deaths of his estranged wife, Patricia Silvia, and the wounding of her mother, Betty Woodard.
Core Facts of the Case
Silvia married Patricia Silvia in 2002, but by mid-2006, she had separated from him and moved with her two minor children to live with Woodard in Winter Park. According to court records, Silvia purchased a shotgun in 2006 and traveled to Woodard’s Orlando-area home, where Patricia was living. Family members were gathered for a cookout when Silvia arrived. After an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile, authorities said Silvia retrieved the shotgun from his truck and fatally shot Patricia before shooting Woodard at point-blank range. Woodard survived but lost her left eye and the top portion of her nose.
Legal Proceedings and Appeals
Silvia was first sentenced to death in 2008 but received a new sentencing hearing in 2018 after an earlier death sentence was vacated due to procedural issues. The Florida Supreme Court denied his appeal on Aug. 12, 2026, partly because Silvia waived post-conviction proceedings and discharged his attorneys in 2012. A final appeal remains pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Florida’s Death Penalty Record
Silvia’s execution would mark the 13th this year in Florida, which has carried out more than half of the nation’s 22 executions in 2026. Two additional executions are scheduled for September. Florida has executed 19 people in 2025, setting a record for the state.
Advocacy and Opposition
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty have launched a petition urging Governor Ron DeSantis to commute Silvia’s sentence to life imprisonment. The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops has also called for clemency. Advocates argue that Silvia, who uses a wheelchair, should not face execution due to his disabilities.
Execution Details
Silvia is scheduled to receive a three-drug lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. The process is expected to begin at 6 p.m. local time, pending any last-minute legal interventions.