Man convicted of killing 70-year-old grocery store owner executed in Florida

The Guardian World

by Associated Press

February 25, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

A man convicted of killing a 70-year-old grocery store owner was executed in Florida by lethal injection on Tuesday. Melvin Trotter, 65, died at 6:15 pm following the procedure at Florida State Prison near Starke. This marks the second execution carried out in the state this year and continues Florida’s trend of high execution rates, with a record 19 executions recorded in 2023. Trotter was convicted for the 1986 stabbing death of Virgie Langford, a grocery store owner. The case gained attention due to its tragic nature and the lengthy wait for execution, which spanned nearly four decades. A spokesperson for Republican Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed that the process proceeded without complications. Florida has long been a national focal point for capital punishment, with 2023 setting a new record for executions in the United States. This trend reflects broader debates over the death penalty’s role in the criminal justice system and raises questions about its effectiveness as a deterrent and its ethical implications. The execution of Melvin Trotter highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding capital punishment in the U.S., particularly in states with active death penalty policies. As other states reconsider or halt executions, Florida continues to move forward with such cases, drawing both support and criticism from various quarters. For readers interested in global news and politics, this case underscores the persistence of capital punishment in certain regions of the U.S. and its implications for human rights and legal systems. The execution also serves as a reminder of the enduring impact of violent crime on victims’ families and communities, decades after the initial offense.

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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/25/2026