🚨 WILLIAM SILVIA EXECUTED — HIS FINAL WORDS REVISITED A CLAIM COURTS HAD REJECTED FOR YEARS

After nearly two decades on Florida’s death row, William Frances Silvia Jr. reached the end of his legal journey Tuesday evening.

Silvia, 61, was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m. on August 18, 2026, at Florida State Prison near Starke after receiving a three-drug lethal injection. His execution became Florida’s 13th of the year.

But even in his final moments, Silvia maintained that the shooting that ended his estranged wife’s life was never intended to happen.

When asked for his final words, Silvia said:

“I’m sorry all this happened. It was an accident. I never meant to hurt her.”

The courts had reached a very different conclusion.

The case began on September 22, 2006, when Silvia went to the Orlando-area home where his estranged wife, Patricia Silvia, was living with her mother, Betty Woodard.

The family was gathered for a cookout.

According to court records, Silvia had purchased a shotgun and ammunition earlier that day. After an argument with Patricia and an unsuccessful attempt at reconciliation, he returned to his vehicle, retrieved the shotgun and opened fire.

Patricia was fatally shot.

Woodard survived the attack but was also shot, including wounds to the head. Court records state that Silvia fired a total of seven shots at the two women, while other family members were present at the gathering.

Silvia was later convicted of first-degree murder for Patricia’s death and attempted first-degree murder for the attack on Woodard.

His jury recommended the death penalty by an 11–1 vote. A judge formally sentenced him to death in January 2009.

For years, Silvia continued to challenge his conviction and death sentence.

His case returned to the Florida Supreme Court shortly before the execution, where the court denied his requests for relief and a stay.

Despite those legal battles, Silvia ultimately faced the execution chamber Tuesday evening.

A priest sat nearby and prayed during the procedure. After the lethal drugs began flowing, a prison warden later called Silvia’s name and shook him, but he did not respond. A medic subsequently pronounced him dead.

His death closed a case that had remained active for nearly 20 years after his death sentence.

For Silvia, the final statement was an apology — but also a final insistence that the shooting had been an accident.

For the victims’ family, Tuesday marked the end of a case that began with a family gathering in 2006 and ultimately led to one of Florida’s most consequential death-penalty proceedings of 2026.