Florida Man Scheduled for Execution as State’s Execution Rate Rises
Victor Tony Jones, 64, is scheduled to be executed on September 30, following a death warrant signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Jones was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder for the fatal stabbings of Matilda and Jacob Nestor during a 1990 armed robbery.
His execution would mark the 13th scheduled this year in Florida, a figure that exceeds the state’s previous annual high of eight executions in 2014.
Jones, a former employee of the Nestors, was found guilty in 1993 of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery.
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According to investigators, Jones stabbed Matilda Nestor in the neck and Jacob Nestor in the chest. Jacob Nestor, before succumbing to his injuries, managed to fire a pistol, striking Jones in the forehead. Police found Jones wounded at the scene with the Nestors’ money and personal property.
The 11 executions already carried out in Florida this year represent the highest number in the state since the death penalty was restored in 1976.
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This places Florida ahead of other states with a significant number of executions this year, such as Texas and South Carolina, which have each had four.
Nationwide, there have been 30 executions in 2025, surpassing the total of 25 from the previous year. The highest number of national executions in the last decade was 35 in 2014.
Jones has appeals pending with both the Florida Supreme Court and is expected to file with the U.S. Supreme Court. Another man, David Pittman, is also scheduled for execution next month.
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