The Florida Supreme Court issued a final ruling on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, paving the way for the execution of Ronald Palmer Heath next week. In an opinion, the justices rejected a series of last-minute legal challenges, including claims that the state’s lethal injection process is “recklessly” managed and that Heath’s own brain development was stunted by trauma during his youth.
Heath, who has spent over three decades on death row, is scheduled to die by lethal injection on February 10 at 6:00 p.m. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant last month, marking the first scheduled execution of the year.
The case dates back to the May 1989 murder of Michael Sheridan, a traveling salesman. According to court records, Heath and his younger brother, Kenneth, met Sheridan at a Gainesville lounge.
The brothers lured Sheridan to a remote area of Alachua County under the guise of smoking marijuana before robbing him. During the encounter, Sheridan was shot and stabbed; Heath was identified as the one who used a hunting knife to attack the victim before instructing his brother to deliver the final shots.
In this latest appeal, Heath’s attorneys raised several red flags regarding how Florida carries out the death penalty. They pointed to drug logs from 2025 executions, alleging that the Department of Corrections had been sloppy with inventory and may have used expired drugs or incorrect dosages. They argued these inconsistencies put Heath at risk of “needless pain and suffering.”
READ: Ryan Routh Faces Sentencing In Florida Today For Trump Assassination Plot
The court was not convinced. The justices ruled that the defense’s claims were “speculative” and noted that Heath failed to provide a viable alternative method of execution that could be implemented quickly. His suggestion of a firing squad was dismissed because his legal team didn’t provide enough detail on how the state could realistically set that up.
The justices also shot down an argument regarding Heath’s mental maturity. A psychologist had recently evaluated Heath, concluding that because of sexual violence he suffered during an earlier prison stint, his “psychological age” was only 25 at the time of the 1989 murder. His lawyers argued that he should be treated with the same leniency the law gives to juveniles. However, the court maintained that the age of 18 remains the strict legal “ceiling” for such protections.
READ: Execution Bid Denied: Federal Judge Spares Luigi Mangione From Death Penalty In CEO Slaying
Finally, the court addressed the fact that Heath’s jury was not unanimous when it recommended death in 1990—the vote was 10-2. While Florida law now requires a unanimous jury for the death penalty, the court ruled that these newer standards do not apply retroactively to cases as old as Heath’s.
With the state’s highest court refusing to stay the execution or grant a new hearing, Heath’s only remaining path to a reprieve likely lies with the U.S. Supreme Court. For now, the state is moving forward with its preparations at the Florida State Prison.
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
