STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of raping and killing his next-door neighbor is scheduled to be executed Tuesday evening.
Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, is set to receive a lethal injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. Grim was convicted of sexual battery and first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the 1998 killing of his neighbor Cynthia Campbell.
This would mark Florida's 15th death sentence carried out in 2025, extending the state's record for total executions in a single year.
Cynthia Campbell was reported missing in 1998, and her battered body was later discovered off the Pensacola Bay Bridge. She suffered multiple blunt-force injuries and stab wounds, with evidence pointing to Grim's involvement. He was convicted in December 2000.
Inmates usually have a chance to appeal before execution, but Grim waived his rights during a recent hearing.
As of this year, a total of 40 individuals have been executed in the U.S., with more executions planned in Florida under the current administration.
This execution highlights Florida's ongoing involvement in the controversial use of the death penalty—a topic stirring intense debate nationwide.
