In Starke, Florida, a man convicted of stabbing Tressa Pettibone during a home invasion robbery more than 30 years ago is scheduled for execution on Tuesday evening. Mark Allen Geralds, 58, will receive a lethal injection at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison, making it the 18th execution carried out in 2025, further extending the state’s record for total executions in a single year.
Pettibone's murder in February 1989 remains etched in the community's memory, especially as her son discovered her beaten and stabbed on the kitchen floor of their Panama City home. Geralds, who had worked as a carpenter in the Pettibone household, is reported to have interacted with the family shortly before the tragedy.
Evidence at the crime scene included jewelry belonging to Pettibone, which Geralds attempted to pawnbroker with traces of her blood still attached. Despite his conviction and the controversies surrounding the death penalty, Geralds has decided not to pursue further appeals, a decision approved by a judge.
This execution adds to a staggering total of 44 execution sentences in 2025 across the United States. Florida has executed more individuals than any other state this year, a trend that has incited debate about the ethical implications and administrative procedures of capital punishment.
With Governor Ron DeSantis’s support for executing additional convicts, including Frank Athen Walls, scheduled for another execution shortly after Geralds, Florida's reliance on the death penalty appears to persist amidst scrutiny.
As discussions about the morality and effectiveness of the death penalty deepen, this situation underscores a critical moment in the dialogue surrounding justice and societal values across America.
