Florida set to execute Gulf war veteran for murder of girlfriend, and three children

A former Gulf war soldier, Jeffrey Hutchinson, has been scheduled for execution on May 1, 2025, in Florida.

This decision comes after being convicted of killing his girlfriend and her three children.

The death warrant, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, on March 31, 2025, makes it the fourth execution order in the state this year.

Hutchinson, 59, is expected to face lethal injection on May 1 at Florida State Prison near Starke.

DeSantis, a member of the Republican Party, approved the execution order on Monday night.

The incident occurred on September 11, 1998, in Crestview, a town in Florida’s Panhandle region.

Court records revealed that Hutchinson had an argument with his girlfriend, Renee Flaherty, before storming out to a bar.

A bartender recalled that he mentioned their quarrel, drank beer, and left abruptly.

Report says that around 40 minutes later, a distressing 911 call came from Hutchinson’s home.

A voice, later identified as his, reportedly said, “I just shot my family.”

When police arrived, they found Flaherty, 32, and her three children Geoffrey, 9; Amanda, 7 and Logan, 4, dead from shotgun wounds.

Hutchinson was discovered sitting in the garage, holding a phone connected to the 911 line.

A 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun, believed to be the murder weapon, was recovered from the kitchen counter.

Police Investigators also found gunshot residue on his hands.

Despite his conviction, Hutchinson continues to insist on his innocence.

His appeal, which cited fresh evidence, was rejected by the Florida Supreme Court in 2022.

 “I did not kill Renee and the kids, and I believe I was framed,” he stated in court.

Hutchinson served in the U.S. Army for eight years, including during the Gulf War. He was later diagnosed with Gulf War Illness, a condition linked to chronic pain, memory loss, and insomnia.

However, Florida has executed two inmates this year, with another scheduled for April.

On March 20, Edward James, 63, was executed for the 1993 murder of an 8-year-old girl and her grandmother.

Earlier, on February 13, James Dennis Ford, 64, was executed for killing a married couple in 1997.

The next execution, set for April 8, will see 48-year-old Michael Tanzi face lethal injection for the 2000 kidnapping and murder of a woman in the Florida Keys.

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