Ronald Palmer Heath became Florida's first execution of 2026, dying by lethal injection Tuesday for the 1989 murder of traveling salesman Michael Sheridan. The 64-year-old man, convicted alongside his brother in a bar robbery that turned deadly, received no last-minute stays after appeals failed. Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw a record 19 executions last year, more than any Florida governor since 1976.

The execution followed a three-drug protocol that began at 6 p.m., with Heath showing little reaction before being pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. The state's aggressive death penalty approach continues with two more executions scheduled this month and next. Heath's case highlighted Florida's controversial clemency process and protocols for juvenile offenders who later commit capital crimes.

The execution capped a 37-year legal journey for the Sheridan family, who watched as Heath was put to death. Heath had previously killed a 16-year-old in his youth and faced additional charges in another murder. Florida led the nation with 19 executions in 2025, far surpassing other states that saw five or fewer each.