<p>Vietnam veteran William Reaves executed by lethal injection despite letter from fellow veterans urging halt</p><p>Florida carried out its 18th execution of the year on Tuesday under Republican governor Ron DeSantis’s aggressive use of the death penalty in his final term.</p><p>William Reaves, 77, was pronounced dead at 6.12pm following a three-drug injection at Florida state prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1986 shooting death of Indian River county deputy Richard Raczkowski.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/florida-execution-18th">Continue reading...</a>
World
Florida kills 77-year-old man in state’s 18th execution of year
<p>Vietnam veteran William Reaves executed by lethal injection despite letter from fellow veterans urging halt</p><p>Florida carried out its 18th execution of the year on Tuesday under Republican governor Ron DeSantis’s aggressive use of the death penalty in his final term.</p><p>William Reaves, 77, was pronounced dead at 6.12pm following a three-drug injection at Florida state prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1986 shooting death of Indian River county deputy Richard Raczkowski.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/20/florida-execution-18th">Continue reading...</a>