In his final moments, Ronald Palmer Heath offered only nine words: “I’m sorry. That’s all I can say. Thank you.” Minutes later, at 6:12 pm on Tuesday, he was pronounced dead at Florida State Prison. The 64-year-old showed little outward reaction as the lethal injection began, his eyes closing as if drifting to sleep before stillness claimed him.
Heath’s execution marked Florida’s first of the year, following a staggering nineteen in the previous year. His case stemmed from the 1989 murder of traveling salesman Michael Sheridan. Court records reveal a chilling descent from casual encounter to brutal violence, beginning with a meeting at a Gainesville bar.
Heath and his brother, Kenneth, had met Sheridan at the bar and the three men sought a place to smoke marijuana. This seemingly innocuous outing quickly morphed into a calculated plan for robbery on a desolate dirt road. Kenneth Heath initially demanded money, and when Sheridan refused, he was shot in the chest.
Even as Sheridan lay wounded and attempted to empty his pockets, the violence escalated. Ronald Heath kicked him and then stabbed him with a hunting knife. Kenneth then fired two more shots into Sheridan’s head, ensuring his death. The brothers then abandoned his body in nearby woods before returning to town.
The pair’s attempt to cover their tracks proved futile. They callously rifled through Sheridan’s rental car and embarked on a spending spree using his credit cards, leaving a clear trail for investigators. This reckless behavior ultimately led authorities directly to the Heath brothers.
Ronald Heath was convicted of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and multiple forgery charges, receiving a death sentence. Kenneth, however, took a different path, agreeing to testify against his brother in exchange for a plea deal. He received a life sentence with the possibility of parole, and is now eligible for release.
Advocates for alternatives to the death penalty have long maintained Heath’s innocence, arguing the sentence was unjust. They point to the disparity in sentencing, noting that Kenneth, the acknowledged shooter, could one day be a free man while Ronald lies buried.
Court records paint a different picture, describing Ronald as the instigator of the robbery and the one who urged his brother to use a firearm. Jurors found him guilty of first-degree murder after considering the evidence of premeditation and the brutality of the act, a verdict upheld through decades of appeals.
Florida’s 2025 saw an unprecedented nineteen executions, shattering the previous record of eight set in 2014. Governor Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions than any Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
Critics have labeled this period an “execution spree,” arguing it is politically motivated and disproportionate. Two more executions are already scheduled: Melvin Trotter on February 24th, and Billy Leon Kearse a week later on March 3rd, continuing a grim pattern.
