Death row inmate who murdered wife faces 48-hour countdown to change Ron DeSantis' mind
On August 18, 2026, William Frances Silvia Jr. is scheduled for execution at 6:00pm at Florida State Prison in Raiford, Florida.
The now-61-year-old was sentenced to death in 2009 over the 2006 murder of his estranged wife, Patricia Silvia, and for the attempted murder of her mother, Betty Woodard.
He was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder, and his death sentence was resolved upon by jury members split 11 to one.
However, in January 2016, in Hurst vs Florida, the US Supreme Court ruled that Florida’s capital sentencing scheme was unconstitutional and such sentences must be agreed upon 'unanimously by the jury'.
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Silvia's sentence was subsequently vacated in 2017. However, in 2018, the state appealed and it was reinstated by Florida Supreme Court in 2018.
Now he's just days away from being put to death, and those against the death penalty are hoping to stop it.
A death warrant was filed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 17, but an online petition calls for Silva to be granted clemency.
The petition that people are being urged to sign reads: "We stand together to urge you to stop the execution of William Silvia, scheduled for execution on August 18.
"There is no question that Patricia Silvia's death was a profound tragedy. Nothing can undo the pain suffered by her loved ones, and nothing in this petition diminishes the gravity of that loss. But the question before Florida today is a different one: whether another killing carried out by the state serves justice.
"As Floridians, we believe justice should be measured not only by accountability, but also by fairness, restraint, and respect for human dignity. Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole provides permanent accountability without requiring the state to take another human life."
It goes on: "We respectfully urge Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Board of Executive Clemency to halt the execution of William Frances Silvia and commute his death sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole."
At the time of writing there has been over 2,300 signatures, with the petition having a goal of 3,200.
Clemency can be granted at any point – even in the minutes before someone is about to be executed.
The murder of Patricia Silvia
William had married Patricia in 2002, however, by summer 2006, Patricia left the pair's family home with her two small children.
She moved in with her mother and stepfather, Patrick Woodard, in Winter Park.
On September 22, 2006, the Woodard family were having a cookout at their home when Silvia showed up to talk to Patricia. Patricia went into the house to talk to Silvia, accompanied by her mother, Betty.
Patricia's 15-year-old daughter Rachel reported hearing Silvia telling her mother she'd be sorry.
Moments later, Patrick entered the house to find Patricia lying on the floor and Betty outside covered in blood.
The following day, Silvia was arrested.
Five-and-a-half hours prior to the family gathering, Silvia visited two stores, prosecutors reported. One, to buy a 12-gauge Mossberg Persuader shotgun and another, to buy four boxes of shells.
They unveiled surveillance video footage placing him at the scenes.
Upon being arrested, Silvia reportedly told authorities Patricia had spent all his money and started dating her ex-husband.
Last words of famous death row inmates
Ted Bundy
Bundy was sentenced to death for assaulting and murdering dozens of young women and girls across several states during the 1970s.
After maintaining his innocence for more than a decade, Bundy officially confessed to 30 murders shortly before his execution, seemingly in a last-minute bid to buy more time.
On 25 January, 1989, the 42-year-old was executed by the electric chair at Florida State Prison.
Addressing his lawyer Jim Coleman and Methodist minister Fred Lawrence, who had spent Bundy’s final night with him praying, the serial killer said: “Jim and Fred, I’d like you to give my love to my family and friends.”
John Wayne Gacy
One of America’s most notorious serial killers, Gacy was convicted in 1980 after murdering at least 33 boys and young men in the 1970s.
Before being put to death, he opted for an elaborate final meal, consisting of a bucket of KFC's original recipe chicken, French fries, 12 deep-fried shrimp, and a pound of strawberries.
The 52-year-old was executed by lethal injection at the Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois on 10 May, 1994.
Gacy had a disturbing three-word message for his final statement, simply saying: “Kiss my a**.”
Aileen Wuornos
Wuornos was a sex worker who shot and killed seven men along Florida highways between 1989 and 1990.
Following a highly publicised trial, she was convicted of first-degree murder for six of the killings and executed at Florida State Prison on 9 October, 2002.
Before her death, Wuornos said: “I'd just like to say I'm sailing with the rock, and I'll be back like Independence Day, with Jesus June 6. Like the movie, big mother ship and all, I'll be back.”
John Spenkelink
Spenkelink was convicted of first-degree murder after killing his travelling companion, Joseph Szymankiewicz, in a Florida motel room on February 4, 1973.
Despite extensive failed appeals, he was executed via the electric chair at Florida State Prison on May 25, 1979.
At the age of 30, Spenkelink’s reported last words were: “Capital punishment - them without the capital get the punishment.”
William Bonin
Known as the ‘Freeway Killer’, Bonin raped, tortured, and murdered at least 21 boys and young men between 1979 and 1980, dumping their bodies alongside various highways in Southern California.
He was convicted of 14 murders and was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison on 23 February, 1996.
When asked for his last words, Bonin, 49, told the warden: “That I feel the death penalty is not an answer to the problems at hand. That I feel it sends the wrong message to the youth of the country.
“Young people act as they see other people acting instead of as people tell them to act. And I would suggest that when a person has a thought of doing anything serious against the law, that before they did, that they should go to a quiet place and think about it seriously.”
Clarence Ray Allen
Allen was handed capital punishment in 1982 after ordering a triple murder while serving a life sentence for arranging the 1974 murder of Mary Sue Kitts, a potential witness against him in a burglary case.
At 76 years old, Allen was put to death via lethal injection at California’s San Quentin State Prison on 17 January, 2006.
“My last words will be, Hoka Hey, it's a good day to die. Thank you very much. I love you all. Goodbye,” his final statement read. It was the state’s last execution.
Niamh Shackleton