TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida man found guilty of the murder of a couple during a fishing expedition nearly three decades ago is scheduled to be executed next month, marking the state’s first execution of 2025.
Governor Ron DeSantis authorized the death warrant for James Ford on Friday, with his execution set for February 13 at Florida State Prison.
Ford received the death sentence for the brutal slayings of Greg and Kimberly Malnory, whose remains were discovered at a remote site within the South Florida Sod Farm in Charlotte County on April 7, 1997. Evidence presented in court indicated that the Malnorys were subjected to severe beatings and gunfire, each suffering multiple blunt force injuries to the head.
Additionally, Kimberly was assaulted sexually, and her body was found near the family’s truck, where their 22-month-old child had been left unattended for over 18 hours. The toddler was vulnerable to the elements and was discovered in a distressing condition, covered in her mother’s blood.
Ford also faced charges related to sexual battery and child endangerment. His upcoming execution will be the first carried out in Florida in 2025, following only one execution in the state during 2024—a decrease from six in 2023. That year featured a notable drop in executions while DeSantis was actively engaged in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, as he had not approved any executions in the three years prior.
