Florida Executes Man for Murdering Miami Herald Worker

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    In Starke, Florida, an individual was executed for the murder of a Miami Herald employee who was abducted during her lunch break. Michael Tanzi was declared deceased at 6:12 p.m. following the administration of a three-drug protocol at Florida State Prison for the strangulation of Janet Acosta in April 2000. Acosta, who worked as a production employee at the South Florida newspaper, was attacked in her van, subjected to physical assault, theft, and then driven to the Florida Keys, where she was ultimately strangled and her body abandoned on an island.

    In his final moments, Tanzi offered a feeble apology to Acosta’s family, supplemented by the recitation of a Bible verse before the commencement of the execution. He displayed signs of physical distress for approximately three minutes; subsequent checks by a corrections officer confirmed no remaining consciousness, leading to the official pronouncement of death at the age of 48.

    This marks the third execution in Florida this year, with another set for May 1st under the death warrants sanctioned by Governor Ron DeSantis. Janet Acosta’s family expressed a sense of relief post-execution, considering it a closure to a painful chapter. Her sister, Julie Andrew, remarked on the feeling of justice served, and a notable lightening of her emotional burden, a sentiment echoed by Acosta’s niece, Janet Vanderwier, who acknowledged the long path to this resolution.

    According to court documents, the events transpired on April 25, 2000, when Acosta was on a routine break. As she read in her van, Tanzi approached under the pretext of needing a cigarette, before launching a physical assault. Armed with a razor blade, Tanzi subsequently transported her to Homestead, south of Miami, where Acosta was restrained and robbed. The assailant continued to Tavernier in the Florida Keys and used Acosta’s bank card to withdraw funds, after which he purchased duct tape and razor blades.

    Tanzi then led Acosta to an isolated spot in Cudjoe Key, announced his deadly intentions, and strangled her, pausing to bind her further with duct tape, leaving her deceased at the scene. Friends and colleagues, concerned by her disappearance, contacted authorities, which eventually led to the recovery of her van and Tanzi’s confession, directing them to her remains over 140 miles from Miami.

    Tanzi, citing fears of expedited capture if he released Acosta, confessed his actions to law enforcement, revealing he was motivated by a desire to avoid immediate consequences. He was found guilty across multiple charges including first-degree murder, carjacking, kidnapping, and armed robbery, with the jury unanimously recommending capital punishment.

    Tanzi’s final appeals failed, including a solicitation to delay the execution due to his health conditions, which included obesity and sciatica that allegedly increased the risk of painful execution. Earlier in the year, Florida executed two other individuals, Edward James and James Dennis Ford, for separate violent crimes. Other executions have also taken place across the United States, including South Carolina’s use of a firing squad for one execution with a second planned imminently.

    Florida’s execution method employs a combination of sedatives, paralytics, and a heart-stopping drug, as noted by the Death Penalty Information Center.