Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida sets October 28 for the execution of Norman Mearle Grim Jr., 65, convicted of the murder and sexual assault of his neighbor Cynthia Campbell in 1998.
The case shocked Pensacola over two decades ago. Campbell disappeared, and shortly after, her body was found by a fisherman near the bay bridge.
A Brutal Crime
Prosecutors detailed that the victim had multiple blows to the face and head consistent with hammer strikes, in addition to 11 stab wounds to the chest, seven of which pierced the heart.
DNA evidence and other physical proof linked Grim to the crime, and in December 2000, he was convicted of first-degree murder and sexual assault.
With Grim’s execution, Florida will have completed 13 death sentences in 2025, a recent record since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
The state has already carried out 12 executions this year, the most recent on September 17, when David Pittman was executed by lethal injection.
Additionally, two more execution dates are scheduled for this fall:
September 30: Victor Tony Jones, convicted of the murder of two people during a 1990 robbery.
October 14: Samuel Lee Smithers, guilty of the murder of two women in 1996.
In total, 33 people have been executed in the United States in 2025, surpassing the 25 recorded last year. The most recent year with more executions was 2014, with 35 nationwide.
The same September 25, Alabama and Texas also carried out executions.
Grim’s attorneys are expected to file last-minute appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. However, experts consider it unlikely the process will be halted, given the weight of the evidence against him.
Image: Opinion
