Final meal of death row inmate revealed after he shared disturbing message before execution

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Final meal of death row inmate revealed after he shared disturbing message before execution

Edward Zakrzewski was executed on July 31 via lethal injection

Edward Zakrzewski is the ninth person put to death in Florida this year and his final meal has now been revealed.

Zakrzewski had been behind bars for more than 30 years after being sentenced to death for the murder of his family in 1994.

The 60-year-old was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. ET on July 31 in Florida after being given a lethal injection.

The crime stunned Florida at the time as the gruesome details became public knowledge.

Rather than accept that his wife, Sylvia, wanted a divorce, Zakrzewski opted to murder her and their two children, a seven-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl.

He attacked his wife first with a crowbar and then proceeded to strangle her with a rope. After realizing Sylvia may still be alive, he hacked at her with a machete.

Edward Zakrzewski was put to death on July 31 (Florida Department of Corrections)
Edward Zakrzewski was put to death on July 31 (Florida Department of Corrections)

He murdered his children in a similar manner. Their bodies were found in a bathtub in their home in the coastal city of Mary Esther, Florida.

Following his death, his final meal has been revealed.

Officials at Florida State Prison said that Zakrzewski had fried pork chops, fried onions, potatoes, bacon, toast, root beer, ice cream, pie and coffee as his last meal.

The death row inmate's final bid to delay his execution was thrown out the day before, however, he still issued a chilling statement ahead of being put to death.

He said: "I want to thank the good people of the Sunshine State for killing me in the most cold, calculated, clean, humane, efficient way possible. I have no complaint."

After going on the run for four months, Zakrzewski turned him self in and would eventually plead guilty to the murders.

However, his attorneys argued he should be spared from the death penalty. They cited his 'exemplary' service in the Air Force, the fact that he turned himself in and pleaded guilty, was 'a loving husband and father' before the killings, and that he showed 'sincere grief and remorse'.

Edward Zakrzewski II is pictured in his Air Force uniform (Edward Zakrzewski legal team)
Edward Zakrzewski II is pictured in his Air Force uniform (Edward Zakrzewski legal team)

Earlier this year, Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear he was committed to speeding up the process of being sentenced to execution.

He argued that the reason for this was to bring closure to families who've been waiting sometimes decades for their loved one's killer to be executed.

Gov DeSantis said: "There are so some crimes that are just so horrific, the only appropriate punishment is the death penalty."

Featured Image Credit: Florida Department of Corrections

Topics: News, US News, Death Row