RAIFORD, Florida — After more than 30 years behind bars, a man who once served in the U.S. military was put to death Thursday evening for one of the most disturbing family killings in Florida’s history.
Edward Zakrzewski, 60, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison, closing a case that had haunted the Panhandle since the summer of 1994. The former Air Force sergeant admitted to killing his wife and two children in a calculated act of violence sparked by the breakdown of his marriage.
Court records detailed a harrowing timeline: Zakrzewski, facing divorce, left work midday to purchase a machete. Later that night, he bludgeoned and strangled his wife, Sylvia, before turning the weapon on their two sleeping children, Edward Jr., 7, and Anna, 5.
Following the murders, Zakrzewski fled across the Pacific, assuming a new identity in Hawaii. His time in hiding ended when he was spotted by viewers of the television show Unsolved Mysteries, prompting him to surrender months later.
At his execution, Zakrzewski delivered a chilling farewell, offering sarcastic gratitude for what he called the “cold and calculated” process of state-sanctioned death.
His death marks the ninth execution carried out by Florida in 2025 — the highest of any state this year — and the 27th nationwide. The U.S. has witnessed a resurgence in capital punishment activity, including the use of controversial methods such as nitrogen hypoxia and firing squads.
Despite shifting public sentiment and growing international criticism, especially regarding newer execution techniques, Florida continues to lead in its application of the death penalty. With over half of U.S. states either abolishing or pausing capital punishment, the Sunshine State has cemented its place among those holding firm to the practice.
The Zakrzewski case remains a stark reminder of the depths of domestic violence — and the enduring debate over justice, punishment, and closure in the American criminal system.
