Record 16th Execution in Florida: Bryan Jennings Executed for 1979 Child Murder

Bryan Jennings was executed in Florida for the 1979 murder of 6-year-old Rebecca Kunash. His execution marked the 16th in the state this year, setting a new record. Jennings was convicted of abducting, raping, and drowning Kunash. Governor Ron DeSantis, aiming for justice, has ordered more executions than any Florida governor since 1976.

In a somber conclusion to a decades-long case, Florida executed Bryan Frederick Jennings on Thursday for the 1979 murder of 6-year-old Rebecca Kunash. The execution, marking the 16th in the state this year, set a grim new record under Governor Ron DeSantis's administration.

Jennings, 66, was put to death via a three-drug lethal injection, following multiple overturned convictions over the years. The ex-Marine was initially convicted of abducting the girl from her bedroom in 1979, before raping, and ultimately drowning her in a canal.

The continuous push for executions has been framed by DeSantis as a fulfillment of justice for victims' families, many of whom have waited decades. As Jennings's execution concludes, two more executions are scheduled in Florida, promising a significant year for capital punishment in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)