Florida executes William Reaves, 77, for 1986 killing of deputy, its 18th execution this year

Florida executed William Reaves, 77, on Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke, the state's 18th execution this year. He was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. after a three-drug injection. Reaves was convicted of first-degree murder for the September 1986 shooting of Indian River County Deputy Richard Raczkowski, who had responded to a 911 call at a Vero Beach convenience store. About 30 seconds after the injection began, Reaves took several big breaths and stopped moving. The team warden shook his shoulders and shouted his name without response, and a medic confirmed death about a minute after being called in. Reaves was the eighth Florida prisoner over 70 executed this year. Florida set a state record of 19 executions last year, and another execution scheduled for November would tie it. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who leaves office in January, has said he aims to bring justice to victims' families who waited decades.

The alternative source, NewsNation, previewed the execution before it happened and focused on the pace under DeSantis and the approach to the record. Left-leaning outlets CBS News and The Guardian US reported the same sequence of events in detail, stressing the aging death-row population, and The Guardian also noted Reaves's Vietnam veteran status, a veterans' letter urging a halt and his last words. Right-leaning Fox News emphasized the killing of the deputy more than 40 years ago and the record pace, and its page also included a segment on a botched Tennessee execution.