Ronald Palmer Heath is scheduled to be executed tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10, at 6 p.m. ET, following a final sweep of denials from the Florida Supreme Court. Unless a federal court steps in or Governor Ron DeSantis grants a last-minute reprieve, the state will proceed with the lethal injection at Florida State Prison in Raiford.
The high court’s decision, issued just days before the scheduled execution, dismissed a wide array of challenges from Heath’s legal team. These ranged from allegations of “reckless” mismanagement of the state’s execution drugs to claims that Heath’s traumatic past left him with the mental capacity of a young adult at the time of his crime.
Heath has been on death row for over 35 years for the 1989 murder of Michael Sheridan. Prosecutors say Heath and his brother lured Sheridan, a traveling salesman, from a Gainesville lounge to a remote woods under the guise of a drug deal.
READ: Digital Deception: Rhode Island Man Faces 85 Years After Multi-State Lure Of Florida Child
Once there, they robbed him. Records show Heath stabbed Sheridan in the neck and then ordered his younger brother to shoot him.
In his final push for a stay, Heath’s attorneys raised alarms about Florida’s recent execution history. They cited internal drug logs from 2025 that allegedly showed missing inventory, the use of expired chemicals, and inconsistent record-keeping. They argued these “sloppy” practices created a high risk of a botched execution that would violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
The justices remained unmoved, calling the allegations “conclusory” and “speculative.” The court also rejected an argument that Heath should be exempt from the death penalty because his “psychological age” was only 25 when the murder occurred—stunted, his lawyers claimed, by sexual trauma during a previous prison term. The court ruled that legal protections for youthful offenders do not apply once a defendant passes the age of 18.
READ: Florida’s $1.7 Million Inside Job: Six Arrested In Massive State Fraud Bust
The court further brushed aside concerns regarding Heath’s original sentencing. In 1990, his jury voted 10-2 in favor of death. Although current Florida law requires a unanimous 12-0 jury vote for a death sentence, the justices ruled that the requirement is not retroactive for cases settled decades ago.
With the clock ticking down to tomorrow’s 6 p.m. window, Heath’s legal team is expected to make a final appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. If no stay is granted, Heath will become the first person executed in Florida this year.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
